The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament on Tuesday reached a provisional agreement on targeted amendments to the Eurovignette Directive, aimed at strengthening legal certainty and ensuring the harmonised application of the rules governing road tolls and user charges for heavy-duty vehicles, ahead of the entry into force of the new CO2 emission standards on 1 July 2026.
According to a Council statement, the amendments clarify how the Directive’s rules apply to different categories of heavy-duty vehicles and CO2 emission classes, providing greater legal certainty for road haulage operators, national authorities and toll service providers.
In a statement included in the announcement, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Alexis Vafeades said that the agreement provides the legal certainty needed by transport operators, tolling authorities and service providers in view of the implementation of the new CO2 emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles. He added that the clarifications introduced by the Directive will contribute to a smoother and more harmonised application of the rules across the European Union.
He further noted that, over the past six months, the Cyprus Presidency had delivered tangible results towards creating a European transport network that is more competitive, more resilient and more sustainable for the future.
According to the Council, the provisional agreement clarifies key definitions relating to CO2 emissions, including those concerning zero-emission and low-emission vehicles, vehicle groups, emission reduction trajectories, and reference CO2 emissions.