EU threatens to take Britain to court over lorry tax

[super jumbe]

The EU's leadership is threatening to take Britain to court over two road and rail policies, in a new headache for the Government ahead of the referendum on membership.

The European Commission said that a toll introduced in 2014 by Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary designed to help British businesses by hitting foreign HGV drivers with levies is discriminatory against foreign drivers, and therefore in breach of EU law.

In a second case, the EU said that Britain had failed to copy a directive opening up the railway markets to EU companies into law. A Foreign Office source said these were ?minor changes to technical rules? that were already being followed in practice.

The HGV levy was announced in 2014, and described by Mr McLoughlin as a "massive boost" to British hauliers under pressure from foreign rivals.

All lorries are charged up to ?10 a day to use the roads. But this is then discounted from vehicle excise duty, meaning that in effect British-registered drivers are no worse off.

It raises ?44 million a year, but the EU says such schemes are discriminatory and a breach of rules on the single market.

Britain has two months to reply or be hit with further action, that could result in a case before the European Court of Justice, which has the power to levy fines.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016...y-tax/?ref=yfp

[gmb45]

eu pish

[super jumbe]

10 quads per day and not happy when British drivers paying thousands annually, were are we going to get money to repair the potholes? I will be voting out of EU!!!!!

[gmb45]

10 cans a day ffs and moaning, heres nother resaon to tell the eu to

[bonus2010]

I think the EU is completely correct in this instance... it is discriminating against fellow EU members to impose a tax, whereby British haulage companies can claim back and member EU haulage companies cant.

[ifred]

Germany have imposed a tax for years on foreign drivers what's the difference http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-ger...0IJ2BR20141030

[GastonJ]

10 quads per day and not happy when British drivers paying thousands annually, were are we going to get money to repair the potholes? I will be voting out of EU!!!!!

"All lorries are charged up to ?10 a day to use the roads. But this is then discounted from vehicle excise duty, meaning that in effect British-registered drivers are no worse off."

Do you never read anything that you post?

"Germany have imposed a tax for years on foreign drivers what's the difference"

Germany's government has a clue on how to pass legislation which doesn't discriminate, whereas the UK government doesn't have a clue,

[maca]