Germany to impose tolls on foreigners

[SVT666]

Members of the German government have taken the first steps towards introducing a toll aimed largely at foreign motorists who drive on the nation's roads and Autobahn highways. The toll is scheduled to come into effect in early 2016 at the earliest, and it could be applied to motorcycles shortly after.

If the proposed toll is approved by the government, motorists who enter Germany in a car registered abroad will need to pay €10 (about $13) for a ten-day pass or €20 (approximately $27) for a two-month-long pass. Motorists who drive in Germany on a regular basis will have the option of buying a year-long pass that will cost at least €100 (approximately $136). The exact cost of the year-long pass will depend on the vehicle's size.

German drivers will have to purchase the year-long pass each year, but they amount they are charged will be deducted from their car's annual registration fee.

Politicians hope the measure will generate up €600,000 ($815,000). The money will be used to maintain Germany's aging roads and build new ones.

The announcement has sparked a controversy in Germany and abroad. The Austrian government quickly issued a statement saying it will use "all legal means" to block the measure because it violates the European Union's anti-discrimination law.

Alexander Dobrindt, Germany's Minister of Transportation, claims the measure is fair and entirely legal because German drivers have to pay tolls when they travel in many neighboring countries including Austria, the Czech Republic, France and Switzerland.

The EU has not had the time to examine the proposal so it has not announced where it stands on the matter.

"Nondiscrimination is a basic principle of EU law. We'll have to see the details," explained a spokesperson for the EU's transportation commissioner.

[Rupert]

Meh, that's not that much. Especially if you consider the cost of a flight, car rental, and gas.

[12,000 RPM]

Arent Germanys roads like glass smooth and pristine

[Rich]

Arent Germanys roads like glass smooth and pristine

No

[Colin]

This is no different to the various tolls and vignettes that apply in many other European countries........ in Switzerland you need a 40 CHF vignette to drive on their autobahns and the same in Austria (though you can buy passes with short duration there), and there are plenty of other examples already in place. You've needed an Unwelt sticker to be able to take your car into many German town and city centres for a while (it's based on emissions rating of your car). 

[ifcar]

This is no different to the various tolls and vignettes that apply in many other European countries........ in Switzerland you need a 40 CHF vignette to drive on their autobahns and the same in Austria (though you can buy passes with short duration there), and there are plenty of other examples already in place. You've needed an Unwelt sticker to be able to take your car into many German town and city centres for a while (it's based on emissions rating of your car). 

Isn't the difference that in this new case, Germans aren't going to pay the same as foreigners?

[veeman]

600 thousand euros?  Seems like a lot of political capital in terms of pissing off your neighbors for a very small chunk of change, relatively.  Seems like more of a political ploy to please the German voters who are probably pissed off at the current political party in power for financially supporting poorer European Union countries like Greece and such.

[Galaxy]

Isn't the difference that in this new case, Germans aren't going to pay the same as foreigners?

Germans have to pay the same in toll that foreigners do, it is just that the annual vehicle tax will be reduced by the amount of the yearly toll.

600 thousand euros?  Seems like a lot of political capital in terms of pissing off your neighbors for a very small chunk of change, relatively.  Seems like more of a political ploy to please the German voters who are probably pissed off at the current political party in power for financially supporting poorer European Union countries like Greece and such.

€600,000 in additional revenue. The big difference is that the amount that german drivers pay will be to a great extent reallocated. The current vehicle tax goes into the general state coffers (by law a tax cannot be booked for a specific project) this new road toll will be used only for roads, railroads, and canals.