Here is the heavyweight ecotax again!
Seven years after being pitifully abandoned, the national tax on freight vehicles is resurfacing.
On Sunday, the deputies of the special committee on the Climate and Resilience bill gave the green light for his return, still according to the polluter-pays principle, in order to promote the use of less polluting transport.
“But this will not be imposed on the whole country, nuance Jean-Marc Zulesi (LREM), co-rapporteur of the text.
Regions or departments may or may not implement it.
It will be optional.
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A major difference compared to 2014. Imposed from Paris, with the installation of nearly 170 gantries on the main roads to ensure that each heavy vehicle, French and foreign, pays the tax, the measure had quickly become very unpopular at the time.
To the point of giving birth to the movement of the Red Bonnets, which appeared in Brittany, some of whose members specialized in the destruction of these porticoes.
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"The government returns the hot potato to the communities but the philosophy remains the same," groans Jean-Marc Rivera, secretary general of the OTRE (Organization of European Road Transporters).
We want to charge heavy goods vehicles because some believe that we do not finance the infrastructure that we use.
Which is entirely false.
Through various taxes, in particular the axle tax and the TICPE (Editor's note: internal consumption tax on energy products), heavy goods vehicles contribute 7 billion euros per year.
Rather than taxing us, the government would do better to support us.
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Suffice to say that seven years after the first version, the subject remains explosive.
In an attempt to attenuate - a little - the sensitivity of the issue, within the majority we no longer speak of tax but of "contribution".
Discussion at the end of March at the National Assembly
Article 32 of the climate bill examined on Sunday in committee before its presentation to the hemicycle of the National Assembly at the end of March, suggests empowering the government to legislate by ordinance within twenty-four months.
"It will be a question of making available to regions that want it a range of solutions to apply this contribution," indicates a ministerial source.
Tonnage of vehicles that may be subject to it, exceptions, regulation of amounts, or the method of collection: toll, sticker or satellite control.
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VIDEO. Archives: the demonstrations of the Red Bonnets against the eco-tax in 2015
The new European community of Alsace, born from the law of August 2, 2019, will be the first to be authorized to put it in place.
For many years, the departments of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin have been trying to find a solution to the influx of heavy goods vehicles on the A 31 motorway, since Germany introduced an eco-tax on its own. A 5 motorway.
"At best end of 2024"
“Several thousand vehicles cross the border every day to avoid paying this tax, regrets Frédéric Bierry, LR president of the community.
This causes environmental nuisances and an increase in accidents.
We are in discussions with the government on the content of the ordinance.
This should be released in June at the latest and will serve as the basis for the one proposed to all the Regions within twenty-four months.
A few months before the regional elections, several regions, including Ile-de-France (ex-LR), Burgundy - Franche-Comté (PS) or Occitanie (PS) are showing interest.
While others, like Brittany (PS) are opposed to it.
"The subject divides even within the parties," notes a source familiar with the matter.
Result, you have as many regions for as against ”.
Still, the implementation of the first regional ecotax, in Alsace, should not see the light of day for several years: “At best by the end of 2024, Frédéric Bierry hopes.
It's technically very complicated.
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