Report by the Eurovignette working group, 4/2010

Summary

The purpose of the working group was to examine the impact the introduction of the 'Eurovignette' road toll has had on tax receipts and particularly on domestic lorries. A computation model was de-vised for this purpose where the effect of different options can be examined straight on the basis of real-time information on vehicle registration data.

If the vignette system is adopted, it must comply with the EU 'Eurovignette' Directive. The computations were calculated so that country-specific limitations are taken into account. More specifically this means that annual user charges levied on vehicles in individual Member States and daily charges levied mainly on international transport operations must comply with the ratio specified in Annex II of the Directive. The Directive will apply to all heavy vehicles as of 2012, since the transition period for vehicles weighing less than 12 tonnes will terminate.

Computations indicate that if user charges are levied as specified for the highest rate in Annex II of the Directive for all Finnish heavy vehicles, it would mean an increase of EUR 58.2 million in the tax burden even if taxes levied on driving power were to be lowered as much as possible at the same time. If the lower rate of 72%, which is currently in use in the 'Eurovignette' community, were to be applied, the taxation of Finnish heavy vehicles would rise by EUR 26 million, including a tax reduction of EUR 8 million for selected heavy vehicles.

In comparison, user charges from foreign heavy vehicles are estimated to amount to around EUR 12.5 million, or to about EUR 9 million at the lower rate of 72%. The costs on levies for daily user charges would be in the range of EUR 3.8 - 4.6 million a year though.

Language versions

• Eurovinjettityöryhmän muistio, 4/2010
  15.03.2010
• Eurovinjettarbetsgruppen, 4/2010
  15.03.2010

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