Representatives of the Ministries of Transport, Finance, and the Interior, and of the Government’s Legislative Council, agreed on how to address the temporary situation, until the usage-based fees will be charged on selected roads in the Czech Republic.

 

At today’s meeting, they confirmed their plans, arising from their meeting of Friday (21 January 2005).  On 28 January 2005, they will present the Government with a proposal to introduce temporary measures, comprising the following:
• a special,
• cross-border regime for vehicles over 12 tonnes, in line with the EU Directive;
• special tolls for bridges, tunnels;
• partial usage-based fees on selected roads, as proposed by Minister Bureš, including the reservations expressed by other ministries;
• a potential increase in the sanctions for not attaching motorway stickers.
The temporary setting up of a special border regime for vehicles over 12 tonnes is based on Article 7 of European Parliament Directive 1999/62/EC.  The ministries mentioned above propose that special fees for the use of roads in short sections close to the border be collected, upon the entry and exit of trucks to and from the country.  These would apply to 1st class roads and, as is the case now, to motorways and high-speed roads.
 
A Deputy of Jaroslav Bureš, the Chairman of the Government’s Legislative Council and Minister, presented at the meeting a draft version of his own proposal.  Representatives of other ministries, however, took a negative stance to this proposal and warned about the possible risks involved – such as the inability to monitor it, and the combination of usage-based and time-based fees.
 
Fees will be charged through the existing coupons, and the paid-for network will expand by selected sections of 1st class roads in the border regions, in line with what the said EU Directive permits.
 
The aim of the Ministry of Transportation is to have the regime introduced as fast as possible.  This plan, however, requires a number of legislative changes.  Primarily, a change in Act no. 13/1997 Coll., On the Road Network, is required, where a change must be made in the subjecting of the general and special use of a road.  Also required will be a change in the related regulations of the Ministry of Transport, no. 104/1997 Coll., and Ministry of Finance, no. 571/2004 Coll.
 
The Minister of Transport, Milan Šimonovský, is planning to inform representatives of European Union institutions early this February, in Brussels, about the Czech Republic’s plans concerning the implementation of electronic tolls.  On this occasion, he will present the plan to introduce these temporary measures.