What actually happened? In brief, the most painful point of the adopted changes is the “CO2 tax” — the toll system was reformed to link the toll amount to carbon dioxide emissions. This obligation stems from the need to implement the modified European Eurovignette Directive (which we will expand on a bit later). However, experts point out that the price of 200 euros per ton of CO2 in Germany is exceptionally high, given that the EU reference value is set at 100 euros per ton.
If these numbers sound abstract, here’s a much clearer one: tolls for a typical long-distance truck increase by over 80%. Here is another one: the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) estimates that this will burden the country’s economy with an additional 7.6 billion euros annually. Although the changes were introduced to accelerate decarbonization and encourage carriers to use eco-friendly vehicles, experts argue that the worst possible timing was chosen. The German economy is sliding into a recession this year, carriers operate with extremely low margins, and fuel prices are unstable.
The fact that the Federal Association for Road Haulage, Logistics, and Waste Disposal (BGL) launched the largest media campaign in the past decade to prevent the announced toll increase speaks volumes about how important this issue is. “We want to show the public how important truck transport is for society as a whole, we want citizens to understand how the goods they use every day reach them by trucks,” said BGL — but to no avail.
A New Model in Austria and Hungary
Similar to Germany, Austria will implement a new toll collection system from the beginning of 2024. The parameters considered in calculating tolls for freight vehicles and trucks are the number of axles, the vehicle’s emission class, and the CO2 emissions it produces. According to current estimates, price increases range from 1% to 11%.
Hungary has also announced similar changes for the new year. Four factors will be taken into account: the number of axles of the freight vehicle (with a note that the division by the number of axles has changed compared to the current system), the roads it will travel on (highways or motorways), movement outside or inside settlements, and the emission category of the vehicle. Depending on these parameters, costs for air pollution, infrastructure, noise, and CO2 emissions produced by the vehicle, which the carrier will have to pay, are defined.
Eurovignette Directive
When it comes to tolls, besides the fact that carriers often suffer headaches from their prices and the toll collection system itself, the user coverage, as well as the road coverage, is quite confusing. As we know, tolls do not function in the same way in all European countries.
The goal of the aforementioned amendments to the Eurovignette Directive, which will gradually come into effect from spring 2024 to 2027, is to charge higher tolls for trucks that pollute more and to make it easier for those that pollute less or not at all. Therefore, all European countries will have to incorporate some kind of CO2 tax into the price at a certain point.
Liquidity – The Question of All Questions
What effects could all this ultimately produce? It is likely that higher costs for carriers will have to be passed on to transport prices, and these will then be transferred to the end user, i.e. the consumer. When it comes to transitioning to eco-trucks (which was also the legislators’ intention), there is uncertainty. The opposite could happen if, due to the rising costs, companies have less money available to purchase trucks with alternative drives.
However, it is important not to forget that the transport industry is a “tough nut” that has proven its resilience and ability to find solutions in various crises over the years. What is certain is that companies will have to take even more care of their liquidity on this path, and systems like Invoitix can be a powerful ally.
