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The president signed the amendment introducing changes in accordance with the EU Eurovignette directive

by AI | 13.Dec 2024 | Europe in brief AI

Pellegrini signed the amendment to the law on toll collection according to the EU Eurovignette directive.

President of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini signed an amendment to the law according to the Eurovignette directive. Photo: TASR

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Bratislava – In toll rates for heavy goods vehicles, carriers will now also pay fees for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and external costs associated with traffic pollution. This follows from the amendment to the Act on toll collection for the use of designated sections of roads, which was signed by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini on Friday and which implements the Eurovignette directive. The president’s office informed TASR about this.

The main aim of the revised road charging rules (Eurovignette directive), agreed upon by EU institutions in 2021, is to address greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts, road congestion, and road infrastructure financing.

The amendment to the law also includes a reduction in the motor vehicle tax for heavy goods vehicles over 12 tons. The main reason for adjusting its rates is the state’s support for carriers in replacing tachographs. “In addition, it is proposed to appropriately reduce the tax rates for vehicles over 3.5 tons up to 12 tons, which also pay fees for the use of road infrastructure (tolls for the use of designated sections of motorways, expressways, and Class I roads) in Slovakia,” the Ministry of Transport stated in the explanatory report.

The change in rates does not apply to vehicles up to 3.5 tons, as they do not pay tolls but rather time-valid highway stickers. The amendment also unifies the adjustment of tax rates based on the age of the vehicle for all types of vehicles up to 3.5 tons and over 3.5 tons.

Members of parliament approved an amendment by Ľubomír Vážny (Smer-SD), which adds historic vehicles to the exemptions from toll payments. Approximately 80 historic vehicles over 3.5 tons should be located in the Slovak territory, with vehicles under this weight limit currently exempt from paying the highway sticker.

Opposition MP Marek Lackovič (PS) proposed creating a system of toll rate discounts and introducing a minimum discount level for buses. The proposal, aimed at preventing an increase in public transportation costs, was rejected by parliamentarians.

The amendment will be effective from January 1, 2025. The exception is provisions on toll collection changes, which will apply from July 1, 2025. (December 13)

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