European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) – EC “Clears the Way for a Single European Road Toll Service”

Date: 4/11/2009

Source: europa.eu/, www.ertico.com/, Traffic Technology International

The European Commission has adopted a decision setting out the essential technical specifications and requirements needed to launch a European Electronic Toll Service (EETS).

EC Vice-President Antonio Tajani considers this decision to be the most important improvement for drivers since the abolition of border controls, stating that

"The European Electronic Toll Service will enable road users to easily pay tolls throughout the whole European Union thanks to one subscription contract with one service provider and one single on-board unit".

The decision, which was signed on 6th October 2009, also lays down the rights and obligations of toll chargers, service providers, and users. Users will be able to subscribe to the service provider of their choice. Toll chargers will communicate the tolls due to the service providers, who will eventually invoice the users.

The EC press release says:

“Electronic toll systems were introduced in several European countries in the early 1990s… However, the various national and local electronic road toll systems are generally incompatible and can only communicate with their respective on-board units. These non-interoperable road toll systems especially hinder international road transport; for example, to travel from Portugal to Denmark five or more on-board units might be needed on the vehicle's dashboard… For the transporter this entails time-consuming paperwork and costly administrative burden in reconciling travel data, received invoices, contracts clauses and payment orders.”

It is planned that EETS will be available on all infrastructures in the entire Community such as motorways, tunnels and bridges where tolls can be paid using on-board equipment. EETS will eventually limit cash transactions at toll stations, thereby improving traffic flow and reducing congestion. It will be available within three years for all road vehicles above 3.5 tonnes or that can carry more than nine passengers. It will be available for all other vehicles within five years.

An article on www.ertico.com/ says,

“The Commission Decision on the definition of the European Electronic Toll Service and its technical elements has been adopted. It will be notified to the Member States under document C(2009)7547.

Between 2005 and 2008, ERTICO ITS - Europe coordinated the Road Charging Interoperability (RCI) project which was contributing to the Directive 2004/52, the basis for the Decision currently adopted. In the RCI project, 26 Road Operators, potential Toll Service Providers and industry suppliers demonstrated interoperable tolling in 6 of the biggest existing tolling markets in Europe. The project specified the European technical framework for interoperable solutions providing a cornerstone for the CEN TC278 standardisation work and the finalisation of the Decision.

Following the decision, ERTICO is ready to start the preparative work with its Partners, Road Operators, Member States, Toll Service Providers and Industry towards the operational implementation of the EETS in Europe.”

An article in the August/September 2009 issue of Traffic Technology International also discusses EETS further.

ITS Radar International will continue to monitor EETS developments

Keywords: In-vehicle systems, Policy, Payment, Standard