Transport infrastructure: common charging framework, fair payment for use. White paper

The European Parliament adopted its resolution on infrastructure charging drafted by Ms. Barbara Schmidbauer (D, PES). The Parliament welcomes the Commission's plan for a uniform system for all forms of transport based on the user pays principle. It calls on the Commission to take the following points into account in the directives it submits : - if possible to include car traffic in the charging system to avoid a distortion of competition between the individual modes of transport, to distribute costs fairly among all road users and to ensure the more efficient use of road infrastructure, while ensuring that socially disadvantaged and/or disabled people are not unreasonably penalised by charges, or are the subject of compensatory measures; if this cannot be achieved on the basis of the marginal social cost, the Commission shopuld make new proposals for ways of including private car traffic (e.g. through mineral oil tax). - a charging system for all road users taking into account use of environmentally-friendly technology, encouraging the use in each case of the mode of transport with the least environmental impact, and promoting where possible the use of local public transport. - in air transport : taxing kerosene within the framework of the international civil aviation agreements; in sea and air transport : taxing diesel and heating oil and using biofuels and bio-greases for pleasure boats; in both forms of transport : minimum quality standards for these fuels. - ensuring the provision of a basic level of mobility for all members of society, in particular in sparsely populated and peripheral regions.�