Climate toll gives the state treasury extra billions

Berlin Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) is likely to be rubbing his hands with joy this week, as additional billions will soon be pouring into the cash-strapped state treasury. It is made possible by the new climate toll for trucks, which the European Parliament decided on Thursday.

In the future, it is to be paid in addition to the truck toll. In the future, not only trucks over 7.5 tons will be subject to the toll from 2023, but also tradesmen’s vehicles if they drive on motorways or federal roads.

Lindner’s party colleague Volker Wissing has to implement the Eurovignette directive and determine whether he will apply the minimum rate in future or double the so-called external costs, which the directive allows. In one case, the state would earn 3.3 billion euros more per year, in the other 6.6 billion euros.