Stenograma dezbaterilor

Luni, 10 iunie 2013 - Strasbourg

27. Un serviciu de taxare rutieră electronică şi un sistem de viniete pentru vehiculele private uşoare (prezentare succintă)

  Der Präsident. − Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt der Bericht von Jim Higgins im Namen des Ausschusses für Verkehr und Fremdenverkehr über eine Strategie für einen europäischen elektronischen Mautdienst und ein Vignettensystem für leichte Privatfahrzeuge in Europa (COM(2012)0474 - 2012/2296(INI)) (A7-0142/2013).

  Jim Higgins, rapporteur. − Mr President, as Europe’s road infrastructure is ageing and needs constant investment, my report poses some important questions.

First of all, how can we continue to fund infrastructure fairly and cost-efficiently while not impeding the four freedoms of the internal market into the future? Secondly, how can we ensure that the long-established principle of ‘the polluter pays’ is developed? Thirdly, what is the best way to implement a fully-functioning European electronic toll service system in Europe?

In drafting this report I was very conscious that the results of the EETS on the whole have been disappointing, something which the European Commission itself has pointed out. Indeed, it may be necessary for the Commission to go back to the drawing board and consider drafting stronger legislation – possibly in the form of a regulation – to ensure the creation of an effective EETS.

What are the key issues? First of all, the willingness of the stakeholders to adapt to EETS. As regards the European Electronic Toll Service, it seems that, following discussions with toll chargers and service providers, the key issue seems to be a willingness of the stakeholders to come together to put in place systems in order to suit the road user.

In other words, the single biggest challenge to implementing a functioning EETS for the end user seems to be political and not technological, and I am firmly of the opinion that the possibility of having one single onboard unit to use on all roads throughout the EU which are charged for by tolls is possible; but at the moment there is no way to force stakeholders to come together to make this happen. This has to change, and I hope that the Commission is listening and is of the same view.

Another possibility is to introduce barrier-free tolling, and I regret the fact that the Commission communication does not explore this possibility in sufficient detail. I hope – and recommend – that further steps are taken to develop and encourage its use throughout the European Union.

I think, from the point of view of what the issues are, that fair and proportionate charging is an issue. Member States which favour a time-based system should be allowed to continue to operate such a system. However, the prices charged should, as the Commission points out, be proportionate. Member States must be encouraged to provide for daily, weekly, monthly and yearly passes to motorists. The charge – excluding a small administrative charge – should ideally be exactly proportionate to the cost of an annual vignette. Unfortunately, however, the situation at present in some Member States is that the weekly vignette can cost up to four times the proportionate cost of the monthly or yearly vignette.

As regards the issue of taxation: this is a contentious issue, and I believe that Member States should continue to be free to set and collect the charges for the use of their own infrastructure within their own jurisdiction. I agree with the Commission’s views as regards making the payment for such a vignette as simple and as easy as possible for drivers, and this reiterates my view and that of the Member States that the focus must be on selling a fairly-priced vignette rather than trying to fine motors as much as possible.

Finally, there are huge environmental advantages to this. If we have a barrier-free Europe, we will have, for example, free access and movement, less pollution, greater trade and greater access to the market. Overall I think this is something that the Commission, Parliament and the Council should all push collectively in order to make happen. If it does not, this report that I have will become a dream, and what I want to do is to make sure that it becomes a reality.

Catch-the-eye-Verfahren

  Erik Bánki (PPE). - Azt hiszem, hogy abban valamennyien egyetérthetünk, hogy az európai elektronikus útdíjszedési rendszer, az ETS nem működik. Azt kell megvizsgálnunk, hogy mi ennek az oka.

Ahogy a jelentéstevő Higgins úr ezt elmondta, ez azért nem jöhetett létre, mert nincs egy olyan erős jogszabály, amely valamennyi országot kötelezné ennek a használatára. Márpedig, amíg azonos elvek alapján, azonos díjtételekkel és azonos beszedési rendszerrel működő új struktúra nem alakul ki, addig ezt nem is várhatjuk el, hogy működjön ez a rendszer Európában.

Egyetértek azzal maximálisan, amit Higgins úr is mondott, hogy a fogyasztó, a szennyező fizessen. Olyan bevételekre kell szert tenni ezáltal, amely az útfelújításoknak alapját képezhetik, és azoknak a környezeti károknak a felszámolását is finanszírozhatják, amelyek megtörténnek. A megoldásra van példa, a roamingdíjak területén már ért el sikereket az Európai Parlament és a Bizottság. Azt gondolom, hogy ezt az utat kell követnünk ebben az esetben is.

  Σπύρος Δανέλλης (S&D). - Κύριε Πρόεδρε, με την επιβολή τελών χρήσης υποδομών στους αυτοκινητοδρόμους, τα κράτη μέλη εφαρμόζουν την αρχή που θέλει τον χρήστη να πληρώνει για την χρήση του αυτοκινητοδρόμου, αντί του φορολογουμένου. Η πρακτική αυτή επιτρέπει τον δίκαιο ανταγωνισμό, για παράδειγμα στην μεταφορά εμπορευμάτων, αφενός μεταξύ των οδικών μεταφορών και, αφετέρου των θαλάσσιων και σιδηροδρομικών. Η επιβολή των τελών αυτών είναι λοιπόν κατ' αρχή δικαιολογημένη, αρκεί να απορρέει από σωστή τιμολόγηση η οποία ν' αντανακλά το κόστος κατασκευής και φθοράς της υποδομής. Ωστόσο, η έκθεση του συναδέλφου Higgins, ορθά εκφράζει την απογοήτευσή μας όσον αφορά δύο εμπόδια στη διαμόρφωση ενός σύγχρονου και αποτελεσματικού συστήματος διοδίων στην Ευρώπη, τα οποία πρέπει να αρθούν:

Πρώτο, η ακινησία των κρατών μελών και σχετικών κλάδων όσον αφορά τις διαδικασίες οργάνωσης της Ευρωπαϊκής Υπηρεσίας Τηλεδιοδίων, και, δεύτερο, η ασυμμετρία που προκαλεί ο τρόπος χρήσης των συστημάτων βινιέτας από αρκετά κράτη μέλη που με έμμεσο τρόπο πριμοδοτούν τους πολίτες τους έναντι άλλων ευρωπαίων χρηστών.

  Jaroslav Paška (EFD). - Som rád, že aj Európska komisia už konečne priznáva, že jej projekt európskej služby elektronického výberu mýta zatiaľ zlyháva. Široký diapazón mechanizmov využívaných členskými štátmi na vyberanie poplatkov za používanie ciest od diaľničných známok cez mikrovlnné mýtne brány až po satelitné elektronické mýto je ťažké zosúladiť do uceleného európskeho systému s transparentnými cenami.

Budúcnosť bude pravdepodobne patriť satelitným mýtnym systémom, ktoré dokážu presnejšie merať skutočné využitie cestnej siete používateľom, a tým aj pomernú mieru, ktorou prispel k znečisteniu prostredia. Vzhľadom na to, že využívanie tejto technológie môže ingerovať do práv občanov na ochranu súkromia, bude lepšie predbežne usilovať o komplexný systém pre tranzitnú nákladnú dopravu. Iba čas nám ukáže, či naši občania budú ochotní strpieť monitorovanie ich pohybu aj pri individuálnej doprave osobnými autami.

  João Ferreira (GUE/NGL). - Senhor Presidente, as infraestruturas rodoviárias devem responder a evidentes necessidades económicas e sociais de transporte e mobilidade de pessoas e de mercadorias. Necessidades que não podem ser dissociadas de um contexto regional e territorial específico. Estas especificidades devem pesar, evidentemente, no tipo de operação e funcionamento de cada infraestrutura, incluindo no que diz respeito à introdução ou não de portagens e a quem as deve ou não pagar.

Em Portugal, por exemplo, a introdução de portagens em infraestruturas rodoviárias, nomeadamente autoestradas, em regiões onde antes não existiam revelou-se desastrosa, acarretando prejuízos consideráveis para o desenvolvimento regional, a economia local, as PME, a mobilidade dos cidadãos, e para a própria segurança rodoviária. Ademais, sabe-se agora que uma parte substancial das receitas geradas serve para custear os custos do próprio sistema de portagens.

Estes são factos que não podem ser ignorados neste debate, como também não pode ser ignorada a experiência que se revelou desastrosa e ruinosa para o interesse público das parcerias público-privadas.

(Ende des Catch-the-eye-Verfahrens)

  Algirdas Šemeta, Member of the Commission. − Mr President, I wish to thank the rapporteur and Members for the constructive report and amendments on a strategy for an interoperable electronic toll service and road user charging for all categories of vehicles.

The Commission agrees with most of the diagnosis contained in the report. It intends to propose an initiative this year to promote distance-based tolling. The proposal could include provisions for private cars and aim to manage congestion and address possible discrimination between different users, as well as the rights of road users. We should, as far as possible, leave some flexibility for the Member States to set the amounts charged (possibly with the exception of congestion charges) and to decide on the allocation of revenues. This addresses the request made in some of the amendments that Member States should have a greater say in setting the level of tolls.

We agree that regional deployment of the European Electronic Toll Service should not lead to the abandonment of the objective of full European coverage. Full European coverage remains the objective of the directive, as decided by the European legislator, and we will follow regional projects very carefully to ensure they are scalable to the whole Union.

To conclude, I want to stress again that, if progress in introducing EETS through the regional deployment schemes is not satisfactory, the Commission is ready to move in with a new legislative initiative as appropriate.

  Der Präsident. − Die Aussprache ist geschlossen.

Die Abstimmung findet am Dienstag, 11. Juni, um 11.30 Uhr statt.