Belgium to introduce motorway tax
January 12, 2007 1 Comment
In less then a year motorists will have to pay to access Belgian motorways. Ministers met on Wednesday and agreed to introduce a highway vignette or ‘tax token’. The vignette, a small sticker motorway users will have to place on their windscreen, will cost EUR 60 on average.
But reductions of standard road tax will compensate for this increase and, in the end, Belgium drivers should not pay more then before even if they use the highways. Tourists, visitors and passer bys will, on the other hand, have to purchase a vignette.
Prices will vary from car to car depending on the engine power and ministers will discuss probable reductions for ‘clean’ cars (environmentally-friendly) and group use of motor vehicles in a follow up meeting.
The Dutch motorists association ANWB has raised questions about the legal feasibility of the plan.
Read full articles: Expatica Belgium and Expatica Netherlands, 11 January 2007
I can’t understand the fuss about this tax sticker. It’s already there in Austria and Switzerland and nobody complains. ANWB thinks it’s illegal to compensate the Belgian users. But in Switzerland nobody pays road tax. It’s all paid by the tax stickers. If you use a road then why not pay for it. Hope Holland will have a tax sticker also in the future.
Steve