From July 1, the Flemish kilometer charge for trucks will be linked to the vehicle’s CO2 emissions – the more environmentally friendly the truck, the lower the rate.

In reality, the new measure will represent a material cost increase for many conventional trucks, leading the political parties Anders and Vlaams Belang to view this as a straightforward tax hike.

Since April 2016, trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons have been subject to a kilometer charge on Belgian roads. Until recently, it was calculated based on weight, the Euro emission standard, and the region in which the vehicle operates.

New parameter

On July 1, an additional parameter will be introduced: the CO2 emission class. From now on, trucks will be categorized into five emission classes. Class 1 comprises the trucks with the highest emissions, while Class 5 consists solely of zero-emission vehicles. Trucks registered before July 1 2019 automatically fall into Class 1.

By introducing this new parameter, Flanders is complying with a European requirement designed to encourage transport companies to make their fleets more eco-friendly. Countries such as Germany, Austria, and Denmark are already applying the scheme.

‘Hefty additional bill’

However, the new measure is not being well-received. “This is not a climate measure, but a tax hike that falls on a sector already under heavy pressure,” said Bart Claes of Vlaams Belang. “No, this is not convincing climate policy,” adds Egbert Lachaert of Anders. “This is not a technical adjustment, but a hefty additional bill.”

Anders sees more merit in rewarding companies that are already committed to zero-emission driving. “That reflects a more consistent climate policy and is fairer to entrepreneurs who are already making significant investments.”

Flemish companies can deduct the kilometer charge from their corporate tax. In practice, therefore, it will primarily be foreign companies that have to pay this tax increase.

Interregional differences

Flanders is the only region adding the CO₂-based surcharge on July 1. It is the main change for through traffic. In Wallonia, there is no CO₂ tariff component yet. This creates a temporary intra-Belgian inconsistency: a cleaner truck receives a substantial incentive in Flanders but not in Wallonia. For Brussels, the July change is an indexation, not a new CO₂ component.

The Flemish administration forecasts roughly €125 million extra in 2026, and €250 million in 2027, while acknowledging the estimate is uncertain because it lacks pre-existing data on the toll-road fleet’s CO₂-class distribution and depends on fleet renewal and traffic volumes.

Other countries

The Netherlands has replaced its Eurovignette with a distance-based truck toll for Dutch and foreign N2/N3 vehicles, covering almost all motorways plus selected provincial and municipal roads. This is highly important for Benelux corridors: a vehicle moving between Antwerp and Rotterdam faces new per-kilometer charging on both sides of the border from the same day.

France has adopted the legal framework for CO₂-modulated heavy-vehicle motorway tolls. Luxembourg remains relevant mainly through the Eurovignette system for heavier trucks, rather than a Belgian-style nationwide distance charge. Germany has already implemented CO₂ classes in its truck toll since December 2023.