Christmas present from the EU: tolls could be back on the roads in two months. Or so, ideally, would the European Commission, which has sent an ultimatum to Spain for failing to implement, within the deadline, the directive that requires the introduction of road tolls .
This European regulation seeks that the member states recover the costs of road infrastructures by means of charges according to the distance traveled or the time of use, and also obliges to include environmental costs to reduce emissions and encourage the use of less polluting vehicles.
Spain is not the only country failing to comply with the regulation. The Commission has also drawn the attention of Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Poland, Luxembourg, Malta and Portugal, which missed the deadline of March 2024. The rule, amended in 2022, extends its application to passenger cars, buses, coaches and small trucks, a measure that generates controversy in several countries.
Spain now has two months to catch up and apply the regulation. Otherwise, Brussels could take the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which could result in millions of dollars in fines.
What does the measure consist of?
The EU’s request not only seeks to finance road maintenance, but also to promote more sustainable mobility.
The idea is based on the fact that incorporating pollution costs into road charges could help to reduce emissions of polluting gases, encourage the use of less polluting vehicles or ensure a more efficient road network .
Which roads will be affected in Catalonia?
Following this warning, the Spanish government must decide whether to implement the road toll system, a decision that will directly affect drivers in Catalonia and throughout the country.
In the case of Catalonia, the implementation of tolls could have a significant impact on the main high-capacity roads that were freed from tolls in 2021, such as the AP-7 (from La Jonquera to Tarragona) or the C-32 (northern section between Barcelona and Blanes). Other important roads, such as the AP-2 or the C-33, could reintroduce toll systems, which would mean an important change for Catalan drivers who, for a couple of years now, have enjoyed free roads.
The Generalitat has already debated in the past the possibility of implementing vignettes (a sort of time-based usage pass -weekly, monthly…) as a more equitable system as opposed to the old tolls, although the measure continues to generate division between administrations and users.