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EC Sues to Block German Highway Toll Plan

The European Commission has sued the German government over the country’s plans to levy what the EC describes as discriminatory tolls for the use of its national highway system, Bloomberg News reports.
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The European Commission has sued the German government over the country’s plans to levy what the EC describes as discriminatory tolls for the use of its national highway system, Bloomberg News reports.

Germany’s plan would charge foreigners as much as €130 ($146) per year to use the country’s autobahns. Backers say the charge would be similar to tolls levied by neighboring countries and used to help pay for the upkeep of their highways. Germany’s transport minister says the practice “fills a fairness gap.”

But the EC says the scheme is unfair, because owners of cars registered in Germany would be able to deduct toll payments from their vehicle taxes. The commission also tells Bloomberg it won’t be able to determine conclusively whether the German plan violates nondiscrimination rules until it sees the final proposed legislation.

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