On the imminent Decision on road toll in the Flanders Region 

Petition addressed to: Petitionsausschuss des Europäischen Parlaments

In the Netherlands, the Decision of the Flemish Government to impose a toll system for users of the full Flemish road network was badly received. The petitioner recalls that within the EU, free movement of persons, goods and services is a rule. When citizens have to pay for this movement, the principle of free movement is put at stake, and Belgium - of which Flanders is a Region -, therefore would infringe the principle of free movement. Residents of the Flanders Region receive some compensation for the toll, as the former traffic tax and the tax for registration of a vehicle are to be withdrawn. In that sense, the toll is exclusively targeting persons resident abroad, and in particular residents of France and the Netherlands. Several regions in the Netherlands necessitate passing through Belgium, even in the daily routine.The difference between the toll in France and the toll scheduled in Belgium is that the former one only relates to certain highways, so that other roads remain accessible free. The scheduled tax is Belgium however is for the complete road network.