From 7 April, Belgium will charge lorries passing through Flanders between 7 and 20 cents per kilometre. The government hopes that this road pricing scheme will ensure that foreign lorries also contribute to the cost of the Belgian road network.
The Flemish Minister for Mobility, Ben Weyts, expects this to generate 310 million euros annually. This money will be invested in ‘better roads for everyone’. A road pricing scheme is also on the agenda in Brussels and Wallonia, but they have not yet announced their rates.
What rates will you pay? A Euro-0 truck heavier than 32 tonnes is going to pay 20 cents per kilometre. A Euro-6 lorry in the lightest class (3.5 - 12 tonnes) will pay the lowest rate of 7.4 euro cents per kilometre.
Flemish transport companies to be spared
The introduced charge is mainly a burden for foreign truckers. Flemish transport companies pay a lower rate than foreign trucks (the European minimum) and, in addition, they can deduct the levy in full from corporate tax.
High costs for Dutch hauliers
For Dutch hauliers, the new scheme does become an expensive joke. EVO and Transport en Logistiek Nederland previously calculated that Dutch hauliers will lose 36 million euros a year due to the kilometre charge.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
