https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed A hotly-contested planned German road toll that targets foreigners is in violation of EU law, the bloc's highest court ruled on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20190618/eu-court-rules-german-autobahn-toll-on-foreign-drivers-illegal Tue, 18 Jun 2019 13:42:20 +0200 eu-court-rules-german-autobahn-toll-on-foreign-drivers-illegal German cities should fight air pollution by charging drivers tolls according to their vehicle's emissions, rather than slapping general bans on older models, European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc said Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20180307/eu-urges-germany-to-introduce-air-pollution-toll Wed, 07 Mar 2018 12:32:55 +0100 eu-urges-germany-to-introduce-air-pollution-toll The government in Vienna is now taking legal action before the European Court of Justice against a car toll in Germany planned for 2019. https://www.thelocal.de/20171012/austria-files-lawsuit-against-germany-over-autobahn-foreigner-tolls Thu, 12 Oct 2017 13:50:08 +0200 austria-files-lawsuit-against-germany-over-autobahn-foreigner-tolls The German parliament has at last passed measures to create a new toll for the Autobahn, after years of heated debate with Brussels over its "discrimination" towards non-Germans. But now that it's becoming a reality, here's what it actually means for you. https://www.thelocal.de/20170324/what-the-new-german-autobahn-toll-will-mean-for-you Fri, 24 Mar 2017 14:50:04 +0100 what-the-new-german-autobahn-toll-will-mean-for-you Germany has finally come to an agreement with the European Commission on its new road toll, but neighbouring states who most often use its motorways are not pleased. https://www.thelocal.de/20161202/angry-neighbours-to-sue-germany-over-foreigner-autobahn-toll Fri, 02 Dec 2016 11:30:48 +0100 angry-neighbours-to-sue-germany-over-foreigner-autobahn-toll A plan by the conservative German Finance Minister to sell off almost half of the country's Autobahn roadway system to private investors has many Germans up in arms. https://www.thelocal.de/20161114/germany-mulls-plan-to-partially-privatize-autobahn Mon, 14 Nov 2016 12:52:32 +0100 germany-mulls-plan-to-partially-privatize-autobahn A proposed road toll that the European Commission had long called "discriminatory" is moving forward after Brussels and Berlin said they have come closer to an agreement. https://www.thelocal.de/20161104/germany-moves-close-to-controversial-foreigner-autobahn-toll Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:30:34 +0100 germany-moves-close-to-controversial-foreigner-autobahn-toll The European Commission on Thursday said it is taking Germany to the EU Court of Justice because of the country's plan to impose a road toll that would mainly charge foreign drivers. https://www.thelocal.de/20160929/eu-takes-germany-to-court-over-discriminatory-foreigner-toll-autobahn Thu, 29 Sep 2016 17:46:39 +0200 eu-takes-germany-to-court-over-discriminatory-foreigner-toll-autobahn The European Commission demanded Germany make changes to its plan for an Autobahn toll on foreign drivers - or else face a challenge before the Court of Justice. https://www.thelocal.de/20160428/eu-demands-change-to-autobahn-toll-on-foreign-drivers Thu, 28 Apr 2016 16:34:33 +0200 eu-demands-change-to-autobahn-toll-on-foreign-drivers After months of bickering among the coalition parties, the cabinet finally agreed to put a road toll for foreigners before parliament, but open questions about its financial viability and legality remain. https://www.thelocal.de/20141218/cabinet-agrees-road-toll-for-foreigners-from-2016 Thu, 18 Dec 2014 09:58:00 +0100 cabinet-agrees-road-toll-for-foreigners-from-2016 The EU has declared the German governement's plans to introduce a road toll targeted at foreigners in violation of EU law, it was reported on Monday. https://www.thelocal.de/20141215/eu-says-proposed-toll-laws-against-the-rules-maut-foreigners-autobahn Mon, 15 Dec 2014 10:09:00 +0100 eu-says-proposed-toll-laws-against-the-rules-maut-foreigners-autobahn A road toll targeted at foreign drivers is a rare backward step for Germany. Anti-European, anti-open borders, anti-tourism; it is a terrible way to fill the black hole in the infrastructure budget, argues Tom Bristow. https://www.thelocal.de/20141104/german-motorway-road-toll-opinion-the-local Tue, 04 Nov 2014 16:08:00 +0100 german-motorway-road-toll-opinion-the-local UPDATE: Germany's conservative alliance has finally agreed to charge foreign motorway users a toll and hopes to raise €500 million a year, but critics say their plan isn't roadworthy. https://www.thelocal.de/20141030/conservatives-agree-on-shape-of-road-toll-cdu-csu-dobrindt Thu, 30 Oct 2014 11:40:00 +0100 conservatives-agree-on-shape-of-road-toll-cdu-csu-dobrindt Chancellor Angela Merkel's party made a show of disunity with their Bavarian allies over the weekend as leading figures fought over plans to introduce a toll for foreign drivers on German roads. https://www.thelocal.de/20140908/cdu-csu-strife-grows-over-road-toll-plans Mon, 08 Sep 2014 11:22:00 +0200 cdu-csu-strife-grows-over-road-toll-plans German plans to impose a highway toll on foreign drivers are against EU law, according to research from Germany’s own parliament. https://www.thelocal.de/20140804/foreigner-road-toll-against-eu-law Mon, 04 Aug 2014 12:15:00 +0200 foreigner-road-toll-against-eu-law Bavaria’s interior minister has called for German border regions to be exempt from a controversial project to charge foreigners to use the country’s roads, sparking a row within his own party. https://www.thelocal.de/20140722/coalition-clashes-over-toll-plan-details Tue, 22 Jul 2014 10:27:00 +0200 coalition-clashes-over-toll-plan-details Germany’s Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt will meet his Austrian and Dutch counterparts in an attempt to quell anger from the neighbours over Germany’s plan to introduce a road charge for foreign drivers. https://www.thelocal.de/20140714/german-transport-minister-dobrindt-to-meet-neighbours-over-toll-plan Mon, 14 Jul 2014 12:29:00 +0200 german-transport-minister-dobrindt-to-meet-neighbours-over-toll-plan Germany’s plans to start charging foreign drivers on all of the country’s roads, which were unveiled on Monday, are upsetting some its neighbours. Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands are all threatening to react. https://www.thelocal.de/20140708/germany-angers-neighbours-with-road-toll-plan Tue, 08 Jul 2014 14:15:00 +0200 germany-angers-neighbours-with-road-toll-plan Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt presented his plan on Monday to charge drivers on all German roads. Critics claim the project, promised to be cost-free for German drivers, discriminates against foreigners and violates European law. https://www.thelocal.de/20140707/tolls-to-come-to-all-german-roads Mon, 07 Jul 2014 13:57:00 +0200 tolls-to-come-to-all-german-roads A top politician's suggestion that drivers should be charged €100 a year towards the upkeep of Germany's roads was met with derision on Tuesday. But how should Germany fill the black hole it its infrastructure budget? https://www.thelocal.de/20140422/who-should-pay-for-germanys-roads Tue, 22 Apr 2014 14:21:00 +0200 who-should-pay-for-germanys-roads