News / Politics

EU to take action against Britain over trucks toll: report

Friday, 22 April 2016 6:15 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 22 April 2016 6:12 PM ]

The EU is to open a legal procedure against Britain over trucks toll. (file photo)

A German magazine has published a report claiming that the EU is planning to take a legal action against Britain over its introduction two years ago of tolls for trucks traveling on its roads.

The Spiegel magazine reported on Friday that European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's chief of staff had informed German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt in an April 13 letter that a plan is underway to open a legal procedure against Britain over the tolls.

In the letter, the Commission said Britain had failed to provide “sufficient proof” to refute concerns over a 2014 law that imposes a road toll on foreign truck drivers using British roads.

“Therefore the European Commission is preparing in this case an infringement proceeding, after an exchange with the British authorities over the last few weeks remained inconclusive,” the letter was quoted as saying.

The EU launched a similar challenge, known as infringement proceeding, against Berlin last June claiming that Germany’s plans to charge foreign car drivers using its Autobahn motorways contravene EU rules on equal treatment.

If implemented, the decision could fuel resentment over the EU's interference in the Britons' daily lives, an issue which the “Out” campaign is feeding on ahead of the June 23 referendum in which voters would decide on the future of their country’s relationship with the 28-nation EU.

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