Parliament extends toll exemption: IRU urges wider green incentives

IRU welcomes the European Parliament's vote to fast-track an extension of toll exemptions for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) under the Eurovignette Directive. The measure, if confirmed, will prolong the current exemption from 31 December 2025 to 30 June 2031, providing critical financial certainty for operators investing in clean vehicle technology.

IRU recognises the Parliament's vote to accelerate an extension of toll exemptions for zero-emission HDVs as an important step to support the industry's transition but warns that voluntary measures alone are insufficient to drive the large-scale uptake of zero-emission vehicles.

IRU EU Director Raluca Marian said, "The European Parliament has sent a good message to the industry: the use of zero-emission vehicles can be incentivised. Extending the exemption brings legal certainty for operators considering that zero-emission vehicles are still two to three times more expensive than diesel models.

"Regretfully, Member States remain free to opt out and, under the current framework, only a handful have applied the exemption. So yes, there is hope and legal clarity, but still no EU-wide consistency.

"Moreover, to truly green EU fleets, broader measures are essential, such as reinvesting CO₂ toll revenues directly into road transport rather than dispersing them across general budgets or shifting them to other modes, and extending support to other proven decarbonisation technologies such as CO₂-neutral fuels."

IRU is calling on the European Commission to come forward with a more comprehensive revision of the Eurovignette Directive, including:

• Temporary earmarking of CO₂-related revenues: A temporary, mandatory allocation of all CO₂-related toll revenues to support road transport decarbonisation efforts is essential.
• Avoiding double taxation: Once ETSII for road transport applies, Member States should be prohibited from levying additional CO₂ external cost charges, which risk overburdening operators and undermining investment in clean technologies.
• Coverage of CO₂-neutral fuels: Vehicles powered by CO₂-neutral liquid and gaseous fuels should also benefit from substantial toll reductions or exemptions, enabling immediate and significant CO₂ cuts through clean fuels.
• Administrative facilitation: Mutual recognition of CO₂ emission classes across the EU, based on the classification of the Member State where the vehicle is registered.

With the Parliament's backing now secured, IRU calls on the Council of the European Union to act decisively and approve the extension before the end of 2025. This will ensure uninterrupted toll exemptions and lay the groundwork for broader, more effective measures to decarbonise road transport and implement more extensive reforms to reflect the calls above.