New Wallonian government wants to introduce highway vignette

Wallonia plans to introduce a freeway vignette to finance infrastructure in Wallonia. This is according to the new coalition agreement proposed yesterday by the political parties MR and Les Engagés.

Usually, the additional tax would apply only to foreigners. However, a cooperation agreement must first be reached with Flanders and the Brussels Capital Region so that Flemish and Brussels residents can escape the new tax.

Deducted from the annual road tax

The statement for the new coalition agreement says that the two parties want to introduce a motorway vignette “in accordance with European rules so that Belgian and foreign users participate in the quality of the Walloon road network.”

MR President Georges-Louis Bouchez said it would not be a new tax for the Walloons. “The vignette will be deducted from the annual road tax that a Walloon car driver already pays,” Bouchez told TV station Rtbf.

“On the other hand, it will become possible to charge for the tens of thousands of foreign vehicles that drive on our roads yearly and pay nothing. So yes, Wallonia is beautiful and hospitable, but it is not abnormal to pay a small contribution for the service you use.”

For the whole of Belgium?

In principle, Brussels residents and Flemings would not have to pay the tax. Although Bouchez did not mention Flanders, he clarified that a cooperation agreement would be concluded with the Brussels Capital Region “so that Brussels residents are not affected.” He said, “it is not the intention to make other Belgians pay.”

On the TV station Bel RTL, Les Engagées president Maxime Prévot said, “We don’t always dance in the south of the country as we whistle in the north.” According to him, this reform must nevertheless be implemented “for Belgium, in an ideal scenario, and failing that, for Wallonia.” Both parties are also part of the formal negotiations for a federal government.

Also, reform of vehicle registration tax

Since April 1, 2016, in Belgium, all vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, both Belgian and foreign, must pay a kilometer charge, known as the kilometer charge for trucks. The system is governed by a cooperation agreement between the three regions.

Moreover, the future Walloon government also plans to adjust the vehicle registration tax reform. The intention is to reduce the tax on EVs, now penalized by their weight and carbon-neutral cars, and to improve the coefficient of support for large families.

There is currently no general rule on tolls and vignettes in Europe. Some countries require you to pay tolls, while others require a vignette. This applies, for example, to France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Croatia, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Romania.