The problem with new road tolls. High fines are possible

The European Commission has announced that it is referring Poland to the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) for failing to implement the provisions of the Eurovignette Directive and has proposed imposing financial sanctions. These provisions require road tolls to be differentiated depending on CO2 emissions.

The European Commission has also filed a complaint against Greece and Bulgaria.

The EC considers that the efforts made by national authorities to take the necessary measures have so far been insufficient and is therefore referring Bulgaria, Greece and Poland to the Court of Justice of the EU, asking for financial sanctions to be imposed

- the EC informed.

Member states had until 25 March 2024 to send Brussels a timetable for implementing new road tolls based on CO2 emissions. Such differentiation is intended to promote lower-emission vehicles on European roads.

The 2022 amendment to the so-called Eurovignette directive extends the scope of its provisions to all heavy and light vehicles. This means that the document will no longer apply, as it has so far, only to trucks weighing over 3.5 tonnes.

The new regulations also introduce the obligation to apply charges for external costs of air pollution relating to heavy vehicles.