ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(74)1133
Vol.1974/0183

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPSANCOMMOMTniS
COM(74)1133final
Brussels,19July1974
Amendments
totheproposalforaDecisionontheestalbishment of
acommonsystemofchargingfortheuseoftransport
infrastructure
(Presented "bytheCommissiontotheCouncilunderthesecond
paragraphofArticle149,oftheeectreaty)
COK(74)H33final

EXPLANATORY MEMORAFCCTM
In"theagreementof22June1965ontheorganization ofthetransport
markettheCouncilincludedamongmeasuresforapproximating theconditions
governingtheoperationofthevariousmarketstheadoptionofacommon
solutiontotheproblemsofchargingfortheuseoftransportinfrastructure .
InordertoattainthisobjectivetheCommissionpresentedtotheCouncil
on29March1971aproposalforadecisionontheintroduction ofacommon
systemofchargingfortheuseoftransportinfrastructure"' .
Thisdecisiondefinesthegeneralprinciplesofthesystemchosen,whichis
basedonchargingforthemarginalsocialcostwhileatthesametime
requiringrevenuetocoverexpenditure ;onlybythismethodisitpossible
toensurethebestuseofinfrastructures andatthesametimetoobtain
sufficientrevenuetofinancealltheexpenditureincurredbythecreation
andoperationoftheseinfrastructures .Inthiswayafoundationwillbe
createdforlatermeasuresdesignedtoimplementthepolicychosenforthe
threemodesoftransport,thecontentandstructureofwhicharesetoutin
thememorandumfromtheCommissiontotheCouncilonchargingfortheuse
ofinfrastructure .
TheEuropeanParliamentexpresseditsOpiniononthisproposalatits
2meetingon16November1973$andtheEconomicandSocialCommitteeon
28September1972^.
AfterexaminingcarefullythecommentsmadeintheseOpinions,theCommission
hasdecidedtoactuponsomeofthemandforthispurposetoamend,in
accordancewithArticle149jparagraph2oftheTreaty,theinitialproposal
foradecision.
•/.
OJlioC62,22June1971,p.15.
20JNoC108,10Decercber1973,p.67.
30JNoC123,27November1972,p.11.

2
Theseamendmentsrelatemainly"tothefollowingmatters:
Recital 1
Thelimitationoftheproposedmeasuretorailway,roadandinland
navigationinfrastructures hasbeenconsideredadvisablehavingregardto
thefactthattheCouncilhasnotyetdecidedonthebasisofArticle84(2)
toapplytherulesofacommontransportpolicytoseaandairtraffic.
TheEuropeanParliamentdesires,however,theintroductionofaRecital1(a)
layingdownthatthestructureofthesystemofchargesmustbedevisedwith
aviewtoitslaterapplicationtootherformsof-transport,sothattheir
inclusionthereinwillnotnecessitate anymajoramendments.
Recital3
TheEuropeanParliamentproposesthattothenotionof"bestuseofexisting
infrastructures ",whichinitsOpinionistooconcise,therebeaddeda
supplementary notion,namely,thepromotionofadistribution oftransport
betweenthevariousmeansandinfrastructures whichwillbeadvantageous
totheeconomyasawhole.
Thesecondaim,whichistomakeusersbearthetotalexpenditurenecessary
toensurethecreationandoperationofthemeansofcommunication ,is
supplemented byadefinitionofthegoalpursued,whichistoensurea
volumeofinvestmentintransportinfrastructure advantageous totheeconomy
asawhole.
Article2,paragraph 1
AswiththefirstRecital,theEuropeanParliamentproposesaddingtothe
phrase"topromotethebestpossibleuseoftheinfrastructures "aformof
wordswhichsetsoutmoreclearlytheaimpursuedbytheproposalfora
decision.
/

Article2.paragraph 2
ThisparagraphprovidesthattheCouncilistoadoptrulesforcalculating
themarginalsocialcostsandtheequalizingcharges.Sincetheserules
areessentialtoensurethefairoperationofthewholeofthesystem,the
EuropeanParliamentaskstobeconsultedbeforetheyarefixed.Although
the-EconomicandSocialCommitteehasnotmadearequesttothiseffecfj
itisproposedtoconsultitalsointhesameconditions.
Thisarticlestatesthatifthesystemofchargingfortheuseofinfrast­
ructureistofunctionsatisfactorily ,independentoperatingbodiesmustbe
setup,providedwithallthenecessarypowerstoensurethatinfrastructure
ismanagedinconformitywiththeobjectivesandprinciplesoftheaforesaid
system,andthateachofthesebodiesberesponsibleforsettingitscharges
onthebasisofthecostanduseoftheinfrastructure underitscontrol.
HieEuropeanParliamentrequeststhatanadditionbemadetothewordingof
thisarticleinordertoensurethattheprinciplesofmarginalsocialcost
andbalancedbudgetsareappliedtotheseparticularcasestoo.
i
Article6.-paragraph 1
Paragraph 1ofthisArticledefinesthemeansbywhichthesystemof
chargingfortheuseofinfrastructure istobeimplemented ..Itprovides
thatchargesfortheuseofinlandwaterwaysbelimitedtonavigationdues.
TheEuropeanParliamentrequeststhatthepossibilityofimposingtaxeson
shipsbealsoleftopen.
Article7.paragraph 1
ThisArticlestatesthatinviewofitscomplexity,thelargenumberof
implementing measuresrequiredandthewide-ranging economicandfinancial
effects,asystemofchargingfortheuseofinfrastructure canbeestablished
onlybystages.TheCommissionconsidersthattheproblemsarisinghereare

-4r
fargreaterforinlandwaterwaysthanforroads,andhasthereforeallowed
anadditionalperiodoffiveyearsforcompletingtheestablishment ofa
chargingsysteminthissector..TheEuropeanParliamentconsidersthatthe
provisionoftwodifferenttransitionperiodsforthesetwomodesof
transportwill"beliabletocreatecertaindistortionsofcompetitionboth
betweenthetwomodesoftransportandbetweenthemandtherailways.As
Competition doesinfactexistbetweenthesethreemodesoftransporton
certainlinks,thereisariskofseriouslycomplicating thecalculationof
compensating grantsenvisagedfortherailwaysinparagraph4ofthis
article,andevenofhandicapping roadtransport,forwhichnocompensating
grantisproposed.Parliamentthereforeproposesasingletransition
periodof15yearsforboththemodesoftransport.
ArticleJuJQgggrephJ .
Thisparagraphmakesprovisionforthepaymentofcompensating grantsto
railwaysduringtheperiodofestablishment ofthechargingsystem,in
ordertooffsetthehandicapwhichtheywillsufferaslongastheirroad
andwaterwaycompetitorsarenotbearingthewholeburdenoftheinfrast­
ructurecostsattributable tothem.TheEuropeanParliamentproposesto
supplementthisparagraphinordertoensurethatthesecompensatinggrants
aredeductedfromthesubsidieswhichvariousMemberStatesgranttorail­
ways.
Otheramendmentsofaneditorialcharacterhavealsobeenmadetothe
proposalforadecisioninquestion.

-5-
Amendment -totheproposal foradecision
ontheintroduction ofacommon system ofcharging
fortheuse oftransport infrastructure
Theproposal foradecision oftheCouncil presented bytheCommission on
29March 1971 isamended asfollows :
- "byanamendment tothe first recital andtheintroduction ofanew
recital after thefirst recital ,
-byanamendment tothethird recital ,
-byanamendment toArticle 7,
-byanamendment toArticle2(1),ssib-'pas'agE^h 1
-byanamendment toArticle 2(2),
-byanamendment toArticle 5,
-bytwoamendments toArticle 6(1),first andsecond indents ,
-byanamendment toArticle 7(1)» 1
-byanamendment toArticle 7(4))
-andalso bycertain purely editorial amendments .
These amendments areindicated inthe attached docniEuavb

_6-
Original "text .Amended "text
THECOUNCILOPTHEEUROPEAN
COIMJNITIES .THECOUNCILOPTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestaT>-Nochange
lishingtheEuropeanEconomic
Communityandinparticularits
Article75?
Havingregardtotheproposalfrom
theCommission;
HavingregardtotheOpinionofthe
EuropeanParliament;
HavingregardtotheOpinionofthe
EconomicandSocialCommittee ;
Whereastheintroduction ofacommonWhereastheintroduction ofacommon
transportpolicyentailstheestab-transportpolicyentailstheestablish-
lishmentofacommonsystemofmentofacommonsystemofcharging
chargingfortheuseofinfrastructure ;fortheuseofinfrastructure ;
whereassuchasystemmustapplytowhereassuchasystemmustapply
rail,roadandinlandwaterwayinfra-initiallytorail,roadandinland
structureinsuchawayastoensurewaterwayinfrastructure insuchaway
fairconditionsofcompetitioninastoensurefairconditionsof
transport; competitionintransport;
Whereasthissystemmustbeestablished
insuchawayasinduecoursetotake
intheothermodesoftransport,orin
suchawaythatitsprinciples maybe
capableofapplicationtotheseother
modesoftransport,regardbeinghad
totheirspecificfeatures;

-7-
Originaltext Amendedtext
Whereastheintroduction ofasystemITochange
ofchargingfortheuseofinfrastruc­
turerequiresalargenumberof
measures,whichcan"beadoptedand
implemented onlybystages;whereas,
hovrever,inordertofacilitatethe
preparationofimplementing measures
andtopromotecoordination ofnational
policies,theguidelinesandgeneral
principlesforsuchasystemshould
belaiddownnow;
WhereasthesystemofchargingmustWhereasthesystemofchargingmust
satisfythedualaimofpromotingthesatisfythedualaimofpromotinga
bestuseofexistinginfrastructure distribution oftransportamongthe
andofensuringthatallexpenditure variousmodesandinfrastructures
necessaryfortheconstruction andwhichwillbeadvantageous tothe
operationofthelinesofcommunica-economyasawhole,andofensuring
tionisbornebytheusersthereof;thatallexpenditurenecessaryfor.
whereasthisobjectivewillbetheconstruction andoperation&£tlie
attainedifthechargesforvariousinfrastruo'tiwes isborneby
categoriesoftrafficarefixedtheusersthereof,thusensuringa
accordingtotherelevantmarginal volumeofinvestmentintransport
socialcost,withtheaddition,whereinfrastructure whichwillbeadvantage-
necessary,ofanamountsufficienttooustotheeconomyasawhole;.whereas
ensurethatthetotalexpenditureinthisdualaimwillbeattainedifthe
respectoftheinfrastructure inchargesforthevaricisoatagoriesof
questioniscoveredbytherevenuetrafficarefixedaccordingtothe
fromtheusethereof; relevantmarginalsocialcost,.with
theadditionwherenecessaryofan
amount("equalizingcharge")sufficient
toensurethatthetotalexpenditurein
respectoftheinfrastructure inques-
' ;.;"tioniscoveredbytherevenuefromthe
' ■usethereof; •'••••
Whereasincyderto,ensurethat Whereasinordertoensurethat
existingcapacityisputtooptimumexistingcapacityisputtooptimum

-8-
Originaltext Amendedtext
use,itisdesirablethatasfarasuse,itisdesirablethatasfaras
possiblethechargesapplicabletopossiblethechargesapplicableto
thevariouscategoriesoftrafficbethevarious ,categoriesoftrafficbe
adjustedtotakeaccountofvaria-adjustedtotakeaccountof(twowords
tionsinthemarginalsocialcostsdelated))thems,rginalsocialcost3
relatingthosecategories ;relatingtothosecategories;
WhereasthemeansshouldbedefinedNochange
•wherebythesystemofchargingfor
theuseofroadandinlandwaterway
infrastructure istobeimplemented ;
whereas,asregardsprivatecars,the
possibilityofimposingan.additional
chargeshouldbeallowedfor,the
levelofsuchchargetobefixed
havingregard,inadditiontobudget- ..
aryrequirements ,tovarioussocial
andotherconsiderations ;
WhereasitisnecessarytofixnowHochange
the'durationoftheperiodduring
whichthecommonsystemofcharging
fortheuseofroadandinlandwater­
wayinfrastructure istobegradually
established,accountbeingtakenof
theeffectoftheproposedmeasures
oncompetition betweenmodesoftrans­
port;whereas,however,provision
shouldbemadetoenabletheprogramme
andtimetabletobedrawnupbythe
Councilforthispurposetobeamended
asnecessaryinaccordancewiththe
resultsobtained;
Whereas,inordertocreatefaircon-Whereas,inordertocreatefaircon­
ditionsofcompetitionbetweenmodesditionsofcompetitionbetweenmodes
oftransportasfromtheperiodwhileoftransportduringtheperiodwhile
thecommonsjrsteraisbeingestab5.diedfthecommonsystemisbeingestablished.

Vϋ
Amendedtext
itisnecessarytomakeprovisionforitisnecessarytomakeprovisionfor
paymentofcompensating grants .topaymentofcompensating grantsduring
railwayundertakings wheretheexpend-thisperiodtorailwayundertakings .
itureonroadandinlandwaterway .,,wheretheexpenditure onroadand.
infrastructure isnotborneinfullinlandwaterwayinfrastructure isnot
"bytheusersofthatinfrastructure :"borneinfull"bytheusersofthat
infrastructure :
Whereasthepossibility cannotbeKbchange
excluded .ofseriouseconomicand
'socialdifficulties Occurringin
particularsectorsoftheeconomyof
p.MemberStatefollowingimplementa­
tionofthesystemofchargingforthe
useofinfrastructure }whereasitis ,
necessarytoprovidefortemporary
derogations fromthecommonprovisions
todealwithsuchdifficulties andto
definetheprocedureforauthorizing
suchderogations :-9-
Originaltext
./■

-10-
Originaltext Amendedtext
HASADOPTEDTHISDECISIONJ HASADOPTEDTHISDECISIONS
■-Article1 Article1
Thereshall "beintroducedwithinthe'Thereshallheintroducedwithinthe
Community,inthemannerandwithinCommunity,'inthemannerandwithin .
thetimelimitslaiddowninthisthetimelimitslaiddowninthis
Decision,a,commonsystemofchargingDecision,acommonsystemofcharging
fortheuseofinfrastructure forthefortheuseofintrastructure for'the
purposesoftransportbyrail,roadpurposesoftransportbyrail,road
andinlandwaterway._ andinlandwaterway.
Thissystemshallbesodesignedasto
becapableofbeingextended,indue
courseto-th®ethermdus tftransport.
Article2 Article2"''1
1.Iheaimofeuchasystemof1.Iheaimo-mohasystemof.oharf^Aell
chargingshallhetopromotethebest^flcientreTOnuet0COTeI'Pj
„.,...expenditurearisingfromtheuseofinfrastrr.a' :possibleuseofinfrastructure ,while. .
.. .. .andattributable tothetransportfunctiongeneratingsufficientrevenuetocover -.
allexpenditureonsuchinfrastructure ?.^ere0^*.
attributabletoitstransportfunctiati..Atthesametime,thesystemof
chargingmustpromoteanevendistribu­
tionoftrafficbetweenthevarious
infrastructures andavolumeofinvest­
mentintransportinfrastructure
advantageoustotheeconomyasawhole.
Tothisend,thechargesapplicable Tothisend,thechargesapplicableto
tothevariouscategoriesoftrafficthevariouscategoriesoftrafficmust
mustbeequaltothemarginalsocialbeequaltothemarginalsocialcost
costoftheuseofinfrastructtire byoftheuseofinfrastructure bythose
thosecategories.Shouldtherevenuecategories.ShouldtS©revenueproduced
producedbysuchchargesbelessthanbysuchchargesbelessthanthetotal
•/

Original text Amended text
thecorresponding expenditure ,there -expend ?,tnre -onthe
shall beadded tothemarginal social infrastructures concerned ,there shall
cost anequalizing charge ,theamount beadded tothemarginal social cost
ofwhich shall besuch astoensure anequalizing charge ,theamount of
that thesaid expenditure iscovered ,which shall besuch astoensure that
thesaid expenditure iscovered .
2.TheCouncil ,acting bya 2.TheCouncil ,acting byaqualified
qualified majority onaproposal from majority onaproposal from the
theCommission ,shall laydown rules Commission ,axis .&?tar~*the Psrliaaect'snd the
forcalculating themarginal social Booaoctio cad^BooiaS .C©0£)JL<>$8 ifcrfe&TevWOa
costs andtheequalizing charges . oonealted shall lay dcr*rr rvleBfor
calculating marginal ^sooial costs and
equalizing charges .
Article 3 Article 3
Theexpenditure within themeaning ofHochange
Article 2(1)tobecovered over a
specified period bytherevenue aris­
ingduring that period shall comprise
thefollowing expenditure incurred <
during that period :
-investment expenditure (expenditure
inrespect ofconstruction ,recon­
struction andreplacements of
installations );
-current expenditure (expenditure on
themaintenance andoperation of
such installations and .onadminist­
rative services ).
Where investment expenditure is Where investment expenditure is
financed byborrowing ,therevenue financed partly orwholly byborrowing ,
raised bycharging must ,over aspeci-the revenue raised bycharging must ,
fied period ,beequal tothesumof over aspecified period ,beequal to
thefollowing twoitems : the suraofthefollowing twoitems :

-12-
Original -text Amendedtext
-expenditureincurredduringthe
periodinquestionnotcoveredby
"borrowing;
-repaymentsandinterestcharges
attributable totheperiodinques­
tioninrespectof.loanscontracted
earliertofinanceinvestment
expenditure .
Article5
Separatechargesfortheuseof
infrastructure shallbefixedin
respectofengineering work3,routes
ornetworksoperatedasseparate
entities.Nochange
Article4
Article5
Separatechargesfortheuseof
infrastructure shallbefixedin
respectofengineering works,routes
ornetworksoperatedasseparate
entities.,
Thesechargesshallbebasedonthe
principleslaiddowninArticlesZ13
andA,Article4
ThescaleofchargesfortheuseofMbchange
infrastructure shalldifferentiate to
theutmostbetweencategoriesof
traffichavingdifférenti&argl&aî."socialcosts.Withineachcategoryoftraffic
separatechargesshallbeapplied
whereverthisisjustifiedbyvaria­
tionsoftimeandplaceintheuseof
infrastructure andispossible,having
regardtothecostofcollection,with
themeansavailable#
•/

-13
Original -text --
1.Thesystem ofcharging for "the vise
ofinfrastructure shall beimple­
mented bythefollowing means :
-inrespect ofroads ,bymeans of
vehicle taxes ,fuel taxes and
measures fordirect charging ;
-inrespect ofwaterways ,bymeans
ofnavigation dues .Amended text
1.Thesytem ofcharging fortheuse
ofintrastructure shall beimple­
mented bythefollowing means :
-forthe^use ofroads ,bymeans of
vehicle taxes ,fuel taxes and •
measures fordirect charging ;
-fortheu^ofinland waterways ,
bymeans ofnavigation dues ,and .
Xtfhere appropriate ,taxes cniresse ls<
2.Theuseofvehicle taxes andfuel Nochange .
taxes asmeans ofcharging forthe
use ofinfrastructure shall not
prevent theimposition ,inparticular
tomeet taxation requirements ,of
additional charges onownership of
private vehicles oronconsumption
offuel used bysuch vehicles .
Article 7
1.The sj'stem ofcharging fortheuse
ofinfrastructure shall beestablished
bystages .Subject toanyextensions
authorized bytheCouncil tinder
paragraph 3hereof ,establishment of
the system shall becompleted bynot
later than 31December 1981 in
respect ofroads andby31December
1986 inrespect ofwaterways .Article 7
1.Thesystem ofcharging forthe
use ofinfrastructure shall be
established bystages .Subject
toanyextensions decided bythe
Council under paragraph 3hereof ,
establishment ofthesystem shall
becompleted notlater than fifteen
years after theentry j.nto .force of
the present Decision .

14-
Originaltext
Thetimetableofthestagesand.the
measurestobetakenduringeachof
theseshallbelaiddcwnbythe
Councilonaproposalfromthe
Commission .
2.Ifduringtheperiodof
establishment ofthechargingsystem
theapplicationofmeasures
prescribedforanystagegivesrise
toseriouseconomicorsocial
diffixulties inanysectorofthe
economy,,theCommission may,atthe
reiiUectofaIfeuherStateand.after
consultingtheotherMemberStates,
authorize,foralimitedperiod,
derogations fromthesemeasures.
Disturbances causedbysuch
derogationstotheestablishment of
thesystemmustbekepttoaminimum,
andthederogations mustnotgo
beyondwhatisstrictlyessentialto
remedythedifficulties foundtohave
arisen.
3.Beforetheendofeachstagethe
Commissionshallpresenttothe
Councilareportontheresultsof
themeasuresappliedduringthat
stage.Inparticular ,thereport
shrllrecordanyderogations granted
underparagraph2andshallif
necessarybeaccompanied byproposals
toextendthedurationofthestage
inquestionortoamendthemeasures
tobeimplementedduringthefollowing
stage.Amendedtext
Nochange
Nochange
3.In£oodtimebeforetheendof
eachstage,theCommissionshall
presenttotheCouncilareporton
theresults atthetime
Kit**tho £&*■>- C*
themeasuresappliedduringthat
stage.Inparticular,thereport
shallrecordanyderogationsgranted
underparagraph2andshallif
necessaryincludeproposalstoextend
thedurationofthestageinquestion
ortoamendthemeasurestobe
implementedduringthefollowingstage.

-15-
Originaltext
4.Duringtheperiod,ofestablishment
ofthechargingsystem,compensating
grantscalculatedinaccordancewith
commonrulestobelaiddownbythe
Councilonaproposalfromthe
Commissionshallbepaidtothe
railwayundertakings inorderto
offsetthefactthattheexpenditure
onroadandwaterwayinfrastructure
isnotborneinfullbytheusers
thereof.
Article8
ThisDecisionisaddressedtothe
MemberStates.Amendedtext
4.Duringtheperiodofestablishment
ofthechargingsystem,compensating
grantscalculatedinaccordancewith
commonrulestobelaiddownbythe
Councilonaproposalfromthe
Commissionshallbepaidtothe
railwayundertakings inorderto
offsetthefactthatexpenditure
onroadandwaterwayinfrastructure
isnotborneinfullhytheusers
thereof.Thesecompensatinggrants
shallbe_deducted^jfromthejpublic
subsidiesgrantedintheMember
States.
Article8■
Nochange