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Parliamentary question - E-001876/2013Parliamentary question
E-001876/2013

Switzerland raises motorway vignette price for passenger cars

Question for written answer E-001876-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
Corien Wortmann-Kool (PPE)

The Swiss government is due to decide at the beginning of March (the national government on 4 March and the cantons on 19 March) whether or not to raise the price of the motorway vignette for passenger cars. The increase in question would be one of approximately 100%, which would, in other words, represent a dramatic increase in the vignette price.

Non-residents (EU citizens) will have to buy a two-month vignette for CHF 40. If you were to travel to or through Switzerland once in summer and once in winter you would need two two-month vignettes, which would exceed the CHF 70 price of the annual vignette. This measure will mainly affect tourists travelling through Switzerland. There are existing agreements at the European level on road vignettes.

1. Does the Commission believe that the Swiss government’s intention to introduce a two-month vignette is in line with the basic principles as set out by the Commission in the communication on road vignettes COM(2012)0199 of 14 May 2012?

COM(2012) 0199: ‘In order to provide for a non-discriminatory vignette system for light private vehicles, the Commission suggests that Member States establish vignette systems that offer, in addition to annual and monthly vignettes, a weekly (or shorter period) vignette.’

2. Does the Commission consider it desirable that the Swiss government should follow these basic principles too, given that they are being applied in all the surrounding countries?

3. Are the Commission and the Swiss government involved in a consultation process with regard to the planned price rise?

4. Does the Commission intend to urge the Swiss government to introduce, as part of the proposed price increase, a vignette for a shorter period with a proportional price for the occasional use of motorways (reference: Austrian 10-day vignette for EUR 8.30 or a 24-hour vignette)?

OJ C 371 E, 18/12/2013