On October 1, 2013 eco taxes come into effect in France

The environmental toll is collected from transport vehicles that move across the French taxable national and regional road network (15,000 km). The toll is due for all transport modes registered in France or abroad if the total permissible weight of a vehicle (or a trailed unit of combined transport vehicles) is higher than 3.5 tons.

Tax amount depends on travelled distance with allowance for charge rate per 1 km. The rate is defined in accordance with vehicle type (based upon the total weight and number of axles in cargo vehicle) and is subject to change depending on the level of pollutants in vehicle exhaust gases, geographical zone and level of road traffic congestion.

Tariff scale that defines the current rate per 1 km is renewed annually in compliance with the decree of the Ministry. 

Rates for 2013:


  • 8 euro cent/km for vehicles of 1st category (2 axles and vehicle weight less than 12 tons);
  • 10 euro cent/km for vehicles of 2nd category (2 axles and weight of 12 tons and more, 3 axles);
  • 14 euro cent/km for vehicles of 3rd category (4 and more axles).  

 Rates for 2014:

 

  • 8,8 euro cent/km for vehicles of 1st category (2 axles and vehicle weight less than 12 tons);
  • 11,1 euro cent/km for vehicles of 2nd category (2 axles and weight of 12 tons and more, 3 axles);
  • 15,4 euro cent/km for vehicles of 3rd category (4 and more axles). 

 

The toll is paid via the electronic device installed on the sideboard of a vehicle.  

All French cargo trucks as well as all foreign cargo vehicles that are subject to road tolls and that move across taxable road network must be equipped with necessary electronic devices to ensure automated data record needed to calculate the ecological tax amount for cargo transport.

In order to observe new legal requirements and obtain onboard devices the payer of road tolls is obliged to register vehicle specification data. After the registration a payer can get the onboard device for his cargo vehicle. The amount of guarantee deposit for the device is 100 Euro (the sum is refundable in case of device return).

In the event of tax evasion a payer is obliged to pay only the amount due if it is the first case of law violation; the repeat violation leads to double rate payment and penalty in the amount of 750 Euro.