Road charging: Commission gives final warning to Greece, Italy, Spain

Publication date: 20 February 2009

The European Commission today sent reasoned opinions to Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal for failing to adopt European legislation on road charging on time. The four Member States have been given until May to put their national legislation in compliance with EU rules.

Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal have neglected to inform the Commission on how they have transposed the EU Directive on the charging of heavy goods vehicles [1] into their national legislation. All Member States were required to do so by 10 June 2008 at the latest.

The Directive establishes a common European framework for charging hauliers for the costs of the use of infrastructure in order to avoid distortions of competition between transport undertakings of the Member States and to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market.

[1] OJ L 157/8 of 9 June 2006

Source: Europa Press Room