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Road minister to meet neighbours over toll plan

The Local Germany
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Road minister to meet neighbours over toll plan
Dobrindt will meet his Dutch and Austrian counterparts. Photo: DPA

Germany’s Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt will meet his Austrian and Dutch counterparts in an attempt to quell anger from the neighbours over Germany’s plan to introduce a road charge for foreign drivers.

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Austrian Minister of Transport Doris Bures (SPÖ) is expected to express her concerns about the toll at the meeting with Dobrindt which is scheduled for Tuesday.

The German plan from 2015 is to impose a motorway tax of no more than €100 annually on everyone. However, German drivers themselves will be able to reclaim the highway toll as a tax write-off.

Austria, which has its own motorway tolls, valid for everyone including Austrians and Germans, was amongst the first to complain about the German plans.

Up until now, there has been no toll at all on German motorways, which are among the most heavily frequented in Europe.

Bures has criticized the German plan, saying that a toll that only affects foreigners violates EU law.

She has said that if after talks with Dobrindt they are not able to find a solution there would either be proceedings against Germany for violation of the EU treaty, or a case would be brought before the European Court.

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