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The European Commission has clarified that road maintenance payments must established under the "polluter pays" principle, with the formula to be agreed before the next payment of EU fundsJosé María Camarero
Madrid
Friday, 21 July 2023, 18:03
The possibility of paying for the use of motorways in Spain is once again on the agenda after the European Commission on Thursday flatly corrected the Spanish government's current position on this issue.
Brussels confirmed what various voices outside the government had been warning, namely that the Spanish Recovery Plan includes a law on sustainable mobility and transport financing and a commitment to introduce tolls in 2024.
The European Commission’s economic spokesperson, Veerle Nuyts, told journalists on Thursday that they understand that the plan presented by Spain "refers to a payment mechanism for road use that will begin in 2024, in line with the 'polluter pays' principle".
In reality, the controversial measure is included in the plan that was approved by both Brussels and the member states. This commitment is linked, in particular, to the disbursement of the fifth tranche of funds, which amounts to more than eight billion euros.
The text stated that "it is necessary to develop a system of payment for use of the high-capacity road network to cover maintenance costs". The aim is to narrow the gap of maintaining the 26,466 kilometres of roads – 12,000 of them high capacity – with 20 billion euros a year.
Nuyts refused to confirm whether Brussels will force the measure to be applied from 1 January 2024. She clarified that the Commission will evaluate this measure together with the Madrid executive "when we reach the fifth request for payment from Spain, so it is not a discussion for today".
Last Friday Spain's prime minister Pedro Sánchez (PSOE) said that the toll issue was "a hoax" by the PP and VOX to stir up the electoral race. And the Transport Minister, Raquel Sánchez, last week spoke of a "categorical denial" that the tolls would be introduced although she said her department is "talking to Europe to redefine this milestone" and says that all options are open, including postponing it, eliminating it or modifying the initially proposed toll system.
In 2022 the government dropped the proposal in the preliminary draft of the Sustainable Transport Act when it was sent to Congress for approval, in view of the rise in fuel prices that affected drivers due to the war in Ukraine. The government considered that "optimal conditions" did not exist for a measure of this magnitude.
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