ABSTRACT
Phased Approach to a Common Transport Infrastructure Charging Framework in the EU COM (1998) 466, where “the user pays” and “the polluter pays” principles were established. It was initially suggested that dues charged on vehicles having a maximum payload of over 12 metric tonnes should be based on marginal infrastructure costs per kilometre and marginal urban congestion costs. The first tariff scheme for infrastructure use proposed in studies conducted in Europe like DESIRE (2001) and INFRAS (2004) was meant to be implemented in Germany in 2003 with an initial tariff of 0.17 €/km on all vehicle and truck units with a maximum loading capacity exceeding 12 metric tonnes passing through or delivering goods in Germany. However, after repeated delays, it was in 2005 that the scheme was launched with a tariff of 0.124 €/km. In 2007 the average rate increased to 0.135 €/km and tariffs were reviewed again in October 2008. As far as waste gas emissions are concerned, charges depend on the exact number of kilometers travelled on paid motorway sections, number of vehicle axes and engine class. Regarding pollutant emissions, in 1988 the European Parliament adopted the first Euro regulation, followed by Euro II, III and IV. Euro V and VI are increasingly stricter regulations on vehicle pollutant emissions, in particular particle emissions and nitrogen oxides (NOx) limits. Coming into force on 1st September 2009, Euro V establishes an 80% decrease in particle emission limits, which implies the need for future fitting of particle filters in vehicles. Euro VI will come into force in 2014 and impose limits of up to 68% of current levels on oxides. Maritime transport emissions are mainly regulated by the MARPOL Convention and some specific European regulations. The new directives concerning SO2 and NOx maximum emission levels aim to reduce these chemical compounds, which will be the
transport in the future. Of maritime one is respon-for of SO2 emitted into the by the use of low sulphur content fuels or exhaust gas cleaning systems. However, sulphur emissions from maritime transport account for 6% to 12% of total anthropogenic emissions only (Chengfeng 2007). Despite this scenario, in 2000 about 44% of total NOx emissions into the atmosphere in Europe were attributable to road transport and 36% to maritime transport (TERM 2002). Road transport is the main source of CO2 emissions, contributing 91.7% of total EU transport greenhouse gas emissions. When including sea shipping in a breakdown of transport-related CO2 emissions, it appears that in Europe maritime transport accounts for only about 6% of total greenhouse gas emissions, which explains the interest in reducing the share of road transport. Annex VI to the MARPOL Convention and the NOx technical code amendments were approved at the Maritime and Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 58th session (October 2008), following the draft amendments on prevention of air pollution from ships agreed by the IMO Sub-Committee on Bulk and Liquid Gases (BLG) at its 12th session, held in February, and further agreed at the MEPC 57th session (April 2008).
