The dreaded r-word: road pricing. It reappears every few years. We actually think it is quite a fair form of taxation, but for many Dutch motorists it is apparently a nightmare. Do not panic! You can sleep peacefully. The new cabinet – which has reached a coalition agreement after 270 days – will postpone road pricing for at least another four years.
The coalition agreement does state that the new cabinet wants to move towards “a form of road pricing”. Legislation for this will be prepared in the next four years, but such a system has not yet been introduced. The government does not yet know what the tax on use will look like.
Road pricing is unavoidable, says the new cabinet
According to the ruling parties, road pricing is inevitable. A study by the Ministry of Finance would show that taxing per kilometer driven leads to fewer traffic jams and fewer CO2 and nitrogen emissions. Interest groups such as the ANWB, Bovag, Natuur & Milieu, the RAI Association and the Association of Dutch Vehicle Leasing Companies (VNA) are also in favor.
Motor vehicle tax will also apply to electric cars
In any case, it is clear that owners of fully electric cars will also have to pay motor vehicle tax. They will benefit from an exemption until 2024. It is therefore expected that road pricing will only be introduced a few years later.