- Date: 16 January 2024
- Location: Online meeting
Report of discussions
The informative meeting was solely intended to provide clarification or explanations regarding the Q&A EETS Domain Statement Blankenburgverbinding.
RDW provided an overview of previous market consultations regarding the Blankenburgverbinding tolling scheme (“e-toll”) and presented the expected schedule for accreditation and the implementation of the e-toll. The expectation is that the e-toll will go live in Q4 2024.
Subsequently, participants had the opportunity to ask clarifying questions regarding the Q&A EETS Domain Statement Blankenburgverbinding, which was shared publicly prior to this meeting. The following clarifying questions were raised:
Will the toll charges be subject to VAT?
No, the toll charges are considered a tax and are thus not subject to VAT.
Are there any estimations regarding the number of potential EETS customers? You previously shared the assumption that 13% of trucks would be foreign. We would like to know how many of the 87% of the local trucks are also driving out of your country.
Estimations are challenging since the Blankenburgverbinding is not yet live. Approximately 10% of the vehicles crossing the Blankenburgverbinding are estimated to be heavy vehicles. The latest estimates were shared on the page: Q&A: EETS Domain Statement Blankenburgverbinding.
While the heavy vehicles in the Netherlands are mostly local (national) trucks, a study which was conducted for the future Heavy Goods Vehicle Charge suggests that around one third of these local trucks regularly cross the border.
In addition to this, we have also published facts and figures regarding the Eurovignette in the Netherlands, which can help to estimate a business case for EETS providers. These facts and figures can be found on page 72 in this presentation at Ternderned (at 'Documenten', 'Alle documenten'):
20230704 Report (EN and NL) and slides of presentation (EN) regarding Meeting EETS providers regarding Temporary Tolling 15 June 2023.pdf
Can the required bank guarantee be substituted with an Escrow account?
The bank guarantee is mandatory for every (E)ETS Provider in the EETS Domain Blankenburgverbinding.
Is our understanding correct that in the future there will be three separate Dutch EETS domains: Blankenburgverbinding, ViA15 and the nation-wide Heavy Goods Vehicle Charge? If you apply for one of these EETS domains, will you also have to apply for the other EETS domains in the Netherlands?
The Blankenburgverbinding, the ViA15 and the nation-wide Heavy Goods Vehicle Charge will indeed be three separate EETS domains. As per Article 5 of the EETS Directive (directive 2019/520), EETS providers are required to conclude contracts covering all EETS domains in a given Member State within the 24 months following the conclusion of the first contract in that Member State. This will also apply to The Netherlands.
Final remarks and additional questions
RDW highlighted that since the publication of the first version of the EETS Domain Statement Blankenburgverbinding in October 2023, there have been limited changes that will soon be published in a re-release of the EETS Domain Statement (version 1.1).
Additional questions regarding the EETS Domain Statement for the Blankenburgverbinding can still be submitted to RDW and will be published, along with their corresponding answers, on this page: Q&A: EETS-gebiedsverklaring Blankenburgverbinding.
To conclude, RDW reiterated its commitment to open and constructive dialogue. (E)ETS providers were and are encouraged to communicate any desires for additional (bilateral) discussions with RDW. Finally, several participants expressed their gratitude and appreciation for this possibility to have dialogue with RDW about the EETS Domain Statement Blankenburgverbinding.
Disclaimer
The report of this meeting was prepared in both Dutch and English. The Dutch-language report shall prevail over any translation into other languages.
No rights may be derived from the present report, the discussions that took place or the presentation used. You can view the presentation shown during the talks below this report.