Impact assessment of truck charging (Eurovignette)

Support Study for the Impact Assessment Accompanying the Revision of the Eurovignette Directive (1999/62/EC)

The charging of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) for the use of road infrastructure in Europe is governed by Directive 1999/62/EC (the “Eurovignette” Directive).  The Directive aimed to achieve step-wise harmonisation of vehicle taxes and establishment of fair mechanisms of infrastructure charging.

The general objective of the proposed revision of Directive 1999/62/EC is to promote financially and environmentally sustainable and socially equitable (road) transport through wider application of the ‘user pays’ and ‘polluter pays’ principles (fair and efficient pricing).

This study supported the DG MOVE experts in evaluating the impact of the new Directive analysing several interventions trough three different models:

• ASTRA (to estimate the impacts on the transport and economy systems),
• TRUST (to estimate the impacts on the traffic distribution),
• PRIMES-TREMOVE (to estimate the trend of the vehicle fleet).

The model suite covers the entire transport system (e.g. transport activity represented at Member State level, by origin-destination and at link level, technologies and fuels at Member State level, air pollution emissions at Member State and link level and CO2 emissions at Member State level) and its macro-economic impacts.

The modelling is complemented by a literature review and stakeholder consultation. Input from stakeholders is gathered via an online public consultation and a targeted consultation (mainly via interviews, with some written contributions) that gathers more detailed views and factual information on the considered policy options.

For more information

• Support Study for the Impact Assessment Accompanying the Revision of the Eurovignette Directive (1999/62/EC), Final Report