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PURPOSE : to ensure the interoperability of electronic road toll systems in the Community. LEGISLATIVE ACT : Directive 2004/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the interoperability of electronic road toll systems in the Community. CONTENT : This Directive lays down the conditions necessary to ensure the interoperability of electronic road toll systems in the Community. It applies to the electronic collection of all types of road fees, on the entire Community road network, urban and interurban, motorways, major and minor roads, and various structures such as tunnels, bridges and ferries. The Directive does not apply to road toll systems for which no electronic means of toll collection exists; electronic road toll systems which do not need the installation of on-board equipment; small, strictly local road toll systems for which the costs of compliance with the requirements of this Directive would be disproportionate to the benefits. The directive provides that a European electronic toll service shall be created. This service, which is complementary to the national electronic toll services of the Member States, will ensure the interoperability throughout the Community, for users, of the electronic toll systems that have already been introduced in the Member States and of those to be introduced in the future in the framework of this directive. Standardisation work must be completed as quickly as possible to establish technical standards ensuring technical compatibility among electronic toll systems based on 5,8 GHz microwave technology and on satellite positioning and mobile communications technologies, in order to avoid further fragmentation of the market. All new electronic toll systems brought into service after 1 January 2007 must, for carrying out electronic toll transactions, use one or more of the following technologies: -satellite positioning; - mobile communications using the GSM-GPRS standard (reference GSM TS 03.60/23.060); -5,8 GHz microwave technology. The Directive recommends that new electronic toll systems brought into service after the adoption of the Directive use satellite positioning and mobile communications technologies. In respect of the possible migration to systems using such technologies by systems using other technologies, the Commission, in liaison with the Electronic Toll Committee must draw up a report by 31 December 2009. This report will include a study of use of each of the technologies, as well as a cost-benefit analysis. Where Member States have toll systems, they need to increase the use of electronic toll systems. They must endeavour to ensure that, by 1 January 2007 at the latest, at least 50% of traffic flow in each toll station can use electronic toll systems. The decisions relating to the definition of the European electronic toll service must be taken by the Commission by 1 July 2006. If these decisions are not taken by 1 July 2006 for reasons set out in the directive, the Commission set a new date in accordance with the prescribed procedure. Where Member States have national systems of electronic toll collection, they must ensure that operators and/or issuers offer the European electronic toll service to their customers in accordance with the following timetable: - for all vehicles exceeding 3.5 tonnes and for all vehicles which are allowed to carry more than nine passengers (driver + 8), at the latest three years after the decisions on the definition of the European electronic toll service have been taken; -for all other types of vehicle, at the latest five years after the decisions on the definition of the European electronic toll service have been taken. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 20/05/04.
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