Four summers have now passed since EAC welcomed EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc's proposal to introduce uniform criteria for collecting passenger car tolls across Europe (see EAC Position Paper 2015). [1] However, this hot summer too shall not spare the motorists in Europe from the patchwork of toll roads creating a traffic mayhem. Each and every border crossing will remain a modular guessing game with a variety of basic components: time-based or distance-related and paper vignette or electronic license plate recognition.
On top of that, even within the highest judicial body of the EU the subject of car tolls remains highly controversial opening up diametrically opposed fronts. The discrepancy between the Opinion of the well-known Advocate General Nils Wahl[2] at the beginning of the year and the recent judgment of the Grand Chamber in Case C-59/17 Austria/Germany [3] highlights the present regulatory gibberish.
However, the European Automobile Clubs asbl clearly recognises the persisting obstacle to mobility and demands to abolish it through the harmonisation of the tolling system in Europe. Today EAC comprises a total of six clubs with a strong member base from Austria, Germany, Slovakia as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus representing the joint interest of well over 3 million motorists in Europe.
Signaling the urgent need for action, the European Automobile Clubs asbl appeals to the European policy makers in charge of the road transport sector advocating for its four key demands undoing barriers and promoting the cross-border experience of free mobility in Europe.
Read the full position paper here:
https://www.eaclubs.org/uniform-car-toll-rules-for-the-sing?lang=en
[1] EAC position paper 2015, available at <https://www.eaclubs.org/european-passenger-car-tolls-1>.
[2] C-591/17 Austria/Germany, Opinion of 6 February 2019, available at <http://curia.europa.eu/juris/celex.jsf?celex=62017CC0591&lang1=de&type=TXT&ancre=>.
[3] C-591/17 Austria/Germany, Judgment of 18 June 2019, available at <http://curia.europa.eu/juris/celex.jsf?celex=62017CJ0591&lang1=de&type=TXT&ancre=>.
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