Activities of Eva LICHTENBERGER related to 2008/0147(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Charging of heavy goods vehicles (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING on the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 1999/62/EC on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures PDF (259 KB) DOC (360 KB)
Legal basis opinions (0)
Amendments (55)
Amendment 29 #
Council position – amending act
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The objective of reducing the negative impacts of transport should be achieved in such a way as to avoid disproportionate obstacles to the freedom of movement in the interest of sound economic growth, the proper functioning of the internal market and territorial cohesion. It should also be emphasised that the principle of internalising external costs is the equivalent of a management instrument and should therefore be used to encourage road users and the related industrial sectors to exploit and expand their respective capabilities in the area of environmentally-friendly transport, for example by means of changes in driving behaviour or further technological development. It is vital that ways and means should be found of reducing the damage caused by road transport, including the impact on the health and well-being of people living nearby, rather than simply using the resulting revenue to cover the relevant costs.
Amendment 37 #
Council position – amending act
Recital 25
Recital 25
Amendment 41 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 1 – point (c)
Article 1 – point 1 – point (c)
Directive 1999/62EC
.Article 2 – point (bb)
.Article 2 – point (bb)
(bb) '‘external- cost charge'’ means a charge levied through a toll for the purpose of recovering the costs incurred inby a Member State related to traffic-based air pollution and/or traffic-based noise pollution;
Amendment 45 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 c – paragraph 1 – .subparagraph 1
Article 7 c – paragraph 1 – .subparagraph 1
1. The external-cost charge may be related to the cost of traffic-based air pollution. On road sections crossing areas with a concentration of population exposed to road traffic-based noise pollution, the external-cost charge may include the cost of traffic-based noise pollution. The external-cost charge shall vary and be set in accordance with the minimum requirements and the methods as specified in Annex IIIa and shall respect the maximum values set out in Annex IIIb.
Amendment 50 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 c – paragraph 3
Article 7 c – paragraph 3
3. The external-cost charge related to traffic-based air pollution shall not apply to vehicles which comply with the most stringent EURO emission standards until fourtwo years after the dates of application laid down in the rules which introduced those standards.
Amendment 53 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 f – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 - introductory part
Article 7 f – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 - introductory part
1. In exceptional cases concerning infrastructure in mountainous regions and conurbations, and after informing the Commission, a toll mark-up may be added to the infrastructure charge levied on specific road sections which are subject to acute congestion, or the use of which by vehicles is the cause of significant environmental damage, on condition that:
Amendment 55 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 f – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point (a)
Article 7 f – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point (a)
(a) the revenue generated from the mark-up is invested in financing the construction of priority projects designed to promote sustainable mobility and which are of European interest, identified in Annex III to Decision No 661/2010/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2010 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network**, which contribute directly to the alleviation of the congestion or environmental damage and which are located in the same corridor as the road section on which the mark-up is applied;
Amendment 56 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 f – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point (b)
Article 7 f – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point (b)
(b) the mark-up does not exceed 15 % of the weighted average infrastructure charge calculated in accordance with Article 7b(1) and Article 7e, except where the revenue generated is invested in cross-border sections of priority projects designed to promote sustainable mobility and which are of European interest involving infrastructure in mountainous regions, in which case the mark-up may not exceed 25 %;
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) In order to move towards a sustainable transport policy, transport prices should better reflect the costs related to traffic- based air pollution, traffic-based noise pollution, climate changedamage to nature and the landscape, climate change, oil dependency, accidents other than those covered by insurance, and congestion caused by the actual use of vehicles, trains, planes or ships as a means of optimising the use of infrastructure, reducing local pollution, managing congestion and fighting against climate change at least cost for the economy. This calls for a stepwise approach in all transport modes, taking into account their particular characteristics.
Amendment 59 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 f – paragraph 5
Article 7 f – paragraph 5
5. The amount of the mark-up shall be deducted from the amount of the external-cost charge calculated in accordance with Article 7c, except for vehicles of EURO emission classes 0, I, II, III and IV.
Amendment 68 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 8
Recital 8
Amendment 73 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 h – paragraph 3 – point (d a) (new)
Article 7 h – paragraph 3 – point (d a) (new)
(da) a specific plan indicating how additional revenue from external cost charges is to be used to reduce the negative impacts of transport.
Amendment 75 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 h – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Article 7 h – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
The Member State concerned shall adapt the proposed external-cost charge in order to be in conformity with the decision. The decision of the Commission shall be made available to the Committee referred to in Article 9d and to the European Parliament.
Amendment 76 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
.Article 7 j – paragraph 3
.Article 7 j – paragraph 3
3. If a Member State levies a toll on a vehicle, the total amount of the toll, the amount of the infrastructure charge orand the amount of the external-cost charge shall be indicated in a receipt provided to the haulier, as far as possible by electronic means.
Amendment 78 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 j – paragraph 4
Article 7 j – paragraph 4
4. Where economically feasible, Member States shall levy and collect external-cost charges by means of an electronic system which complies with the requirements of Article 2(1) of Directive 2004/52/EC. Member States shall also cooperate to ensure that they use interoperable electronic systems which can be used on one another's territory, with the provision that, if necessary, the rates can be adjusted.
Amendment 79 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 j – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 7 j – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. As soon as the operability of toll collecting services based on the Galileo satellite positioning system is technically feasible, external cost charges shall be levied and collected by an interoperable European electronic toll collecting system as specified in Directive 2004/52/EC.
Amendment 85 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point (e)
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point (e)
(e) developing alternative infrastructure for transport users and/or expanding current capacity in order to support a safer and more environmentally friendly transport system;
Amendment 88 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Article 1 – point 8
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point (c a) (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point (c a) (new)
(ca) the effect of the external cost charge or infrastructure charge on modal shift, on the optimisation of road transport and on the environment, and the effect of the external cost charge on the external costs which the Member State is seeking to cover by means of the charge; and
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Tolls based on distance travelled should be allowed to include an external cost element based on the cost of traffic- based air and noise pollution, damage to nature and the landscape, climate change, oil dependency, and accidents other than those covered by insurance. Furthermore, on roads that are usually congested and during peak periods congestion costs which are mostly borne at local level should also be allowed to be recovered through the external cost charge. The external cost element included in tolls should be allowed to be added to the cost of infrastructure, provided that certain conditions are respected in the calculation of costs so as to avoid undue charging.
Amendment 91 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Article 1 – point 8
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point (c b) (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point (c b) (new)
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) To better reflect the cost of traffic- based air and noise pollution, and congestiondamage to nature and the landscape, climate change, oil dependency, congestion and accidents other than those covered by insurance, the external cost charge should vary according to the type of roads, type of vehicles and time periods such as daily, weekly or seasonal peak and off peak periods and night period.
Amendment 94 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Article 1 – point 8
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 11 – paragraph 2 –subparagraph 1 – point (c a) (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 2 –subparagraph 1 – point (c a) (new)
(ca) the degree of interoperability between different toll systems in the member states as required by Directive 2004/52/EC.
Amendment 96 #
Council position – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Article 1 – point 8
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 11 – paragraph 3
Article 11 – paragraph 3
3. By …, at the latest, the Commission shall present a report that summarises the other measures, such as regulatory policies, taken to internalise or reduce o the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation and effects of this Directive, in particular as regards the effectiveness of the provisions on the recovery of the traffic-based pollution and noise and on the inclusion of vehicles of more than 3.5 and less than 12 tonnes. The report shall also assess: (a) the relevance of integrating other external costs related to environment, noise and health from all transport modes, including the legal basis and maximum values used. In order to ensure fair intermodal competition while gradually charging the external costs of all transport modes, it shall include a timetable of in the calculation of tolls, especially the cost of CO2 emissions should the definition of a common fuel tax element related to climate change have not yielded satisfactory results, the cost of accidents and the cost of biodiversity loss; (b) the relevance of extending the scope of this Directive to other categories of vehicles; (c) the possibility of adopting a revised classification of vehicles for the purposes of varying tolls taking into account the average impact on the environment, congestion and infrastructure, their CO2 and energy performance, and the practical and economic feasibility of levying and enforcing tolls; (d) the technical and economic feasibility of introducing on the main inter-urban roads minimum distance-based charges. The report shall identify the possible types of road sections to be charged, the possible ways of levying and enforcing in a cost-effective way such charges and a common simple method to set the minimum rates; (e) the technical and economic feasibility of gradually abolishing time-based charging systems and introducing distance-based systems and the need to maintain a derogation for Member States with external borders with third countries to continue to apply time-based charging systems to heavy goods vehicles queuing at border-crossing points; and (f) the need for a proposal for a scheme to ensure the consistent and simultaneous internalisation of external costs for all other measures which remain to be taken to address the modes of transport and/or theodes of transport; (g) the options and propose concrete steps on how best to tackle the effects of climate change within the framework of this the Directive; (h) the options and propose concrete steps on how best to tackle the need to drastically reduce the dependency on oil; The report shall be accompanied by an assessment of the progress of the internalisation of external- cost elements not taken is for all modes of transport and by a proposal to the European Parliamento account yet." nd the Council for further revision of this Directive;
Amendment 98 #
Council position – amending act
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 2
Article 2
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by …*. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions. * OJ: Please insert date: 3618 months after the entry into force of this Directive.
Amendment 99 #
Council position – amending act
Annex
Annex
Directive 1999/62/EC
Annex III a – point 2 – subpoint 2
Annex III a – point 2 – subpoint 2
Where applicable, it shall also notify the Commission of the exact time periods corresponding to the night period during which a higher external noise-cost charge may be imposed to reflect greater noise nuisances.
Amendment 100 #
Council position – amending act
Annex
Annex
Directive 1999/62/EC
Annex III a – point 3 – subpoint 1
Annex III a – point 3 – subpoint 1
For each vehicle class, type of road and time period, the Member State or, if appropriate, an independent authority shall determine a single specific amount. The resulting charging structure, including the start time and the end time of each night period where the external-cost charge includes ta higher cost of noise pollution, shall be transparent, made public and available to all users on equal terms. The publication should occur in a timely manner before implementation. All parameters, data and other information necessary to understand how the various external-cost elements are calculated shall be made public.
Amendment 103 #
Council position – amending act
Annex
Annex
Directive 1999/62/EC
Annex III b – point 2 – subpoint 2
Annex III b – point 2 – subpoint 2
The values in Table 2 may be multiplied by a factor of up to 25 in mountain areas to the extent that it is justified by the gradient of roads, temperature inversions and/or amphitheatre effect of valleys.
Amendment 145 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) A comprehensive assessment of the experience acquired in those Member States which apply an external cost charge in accordance with this Directive should be sent in due time by the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council. This assessment should also include an analysis of progress in the strategy to fight climate change, including in defining a common fuel tax element related to climate change in Council Directive 2003/96/EC of 27 October 2003 restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity, including of the fuel used by heavy goods vehicles. In the light of this progress, the question of carbon dioxide emissions should be included and an analysis of any other further appropriate actions should be continued.
Amendment 150 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 26 a (new)
Recital 26 a (new)
(26a) Member States in receipt of EU co- funding for road infrastructure should provide the Commission with an estimate of the revenues expected from applying this Directive.
Amendment 154 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 27 a (new)
Recital 27 a (new)
(27a) The use of EU funds and revenues from road charging within the framework of this Directive should incorporate the requirements of Directive 2004/52/EC on Interoperability of Road Toll Systems.
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 27 b (new)
Recital 27 b (new)
(27b) The sensitive trans-border mountainous Alpine region should apply the principles of the Transport protocol of the Alpine Convention and therefore be encouraged to introduce additional non- discriminatory measures for calculating and charging external costs and cross- subsidising rail transport, including systems, similar to the Swiss charging and Alpine Transit Traffic Auctioning ('Transitbörse').
Amendment 167 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 2 – point b b
Article 2 – point b b
(bb) ‘external cost charge’ means a charge levied through a toll for the purpose of recovering the costs incurred by a Member State related to traffic-based air and noise pollution, traffic-based noise pollution and congestiondamage to nature and the landscape, climate change, oil dependency, congestion and accidents other than those covered by insurance;
Amendment 188 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 2 – point b e a (new)
Article 2 – point b e a (new)
(be a) ‘cost of damage to nature and the landscape’ means the cost of damage caused by spatial separation or barriers, a decline in the quality of landscapes, loss of natural land and biotopes, decrease in value of buildings, loss of revenue in forestry, agriculture and tourism sectors, disturbance of eco-systems, as well as pollution of soils, surface, and groundwater;
Amendment 191 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 2 – point b e b (new)
Article 2 – point b e b (new)
(be b) ‘cost of accidents other than those covered by insurance’ means the cost of serious or catastrophic accidents, such as those where dangerous or polluting goods are involved or where hindering of traffic flow leads to congestion, where the cost is borne by public funds, where there are organisational costs associated with the management of the accident, or where the costs are not, or only partially, covered by insurance;
Amendment 194 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 2 – point b e c (new)
Article 2 – point b e c (new)
(be c) ‘cost of climate change’ means the cost to industry of extreme weather conditions caused by climate change, the cost associated with non-functioning of and damage to transport systems, social consequences, human health and nature, and to other sectors, such as agriculture, forestry and tourism, and the cost of mitigating damage by climate change;
Amendment 196 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 2 – point b e d (new)
Article 2 – point b e d (new)
(be d) ‘ cost of oil dependency’ means the cost of dependency on oil, caused by transport such as heavy goods vehicles, the negative effects of high oil prices on the economy, GDP losses, macro- economic adjustment, re-conversion of industrial and transport systems to renewable systems, and transfer of wealth;
Amendment 200 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 2 – point b g a (new)
Article 2 – point b g a (new)
(bg a) ‘sensitive areas’ are areas, where damage is higher, because of environmental pressures, more damaging effects of the same pressure level and where unique resources or cultural heritage are in danger;
Amendment 202 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 1
Article 1 – point 1
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 2 – point b g b (new)
Article 2 – point b g b (new)
(bgb) ‘population density in an area in a mountain region’ means the population density calculated on the basis of the area which is permanently inhabited;
Amendment 204 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. Member States mayshall maintain or introduce tolls and/or user charges on their road network or on certain sections of that network under the conditions laid down in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of this aArticle and in Articles 7a to 7j.
Amendment 235 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7 b – paragraph 2
Article 7 b – paragraph 2
2. The external cost charge shall be related to the cost of traffic-based air and noise pollution, the cost of traffic-based noise pollution, or bothdamage to nature and the landscape, the cost of traffic-based accidents other than those covered by insurance, and the cost of traffic-based climate change and oil-dependency. On road sections subject to congestion the external cost charge may also include the cost of congestion during the periods when these road sections are usually congested.
Amendment 264 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7c – paragraph 2
Article 7c – paragraph 2
2. The amount of the external cost charge for each combination of class of vehicle, type of road and time period shall be set in accordance with the minimum requirements, and the common formulae and the maximum chargeablemethods for external costs calculation in Annex IIIa.
Amendment 321 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7h – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 7h – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Amendment 324 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7h – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 7h – paragraph 2 – point a
Amendment 325 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 7h – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 7h – paragraph 2 – point b
Amendment 352 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 9 – paragraph 1a
Article 9 – paragraph 1a
1a. This Directive shall not prevent the non-discriminatory application by Member States of regulatory charges specifically designed to reduce traffic congestion or combat environmental impacts, including poor air quality, on any urban road located in a built up area. . It shall support the trans-border mountainous Alpine region to apply the principles of the Transport Protocol of the Alpine Convention, introducing interoperable systems, similar to the Swiss charging system and introducing a Traffic Transit Auctioning System ('Transitbörse').
Amendment 367 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
2. A Member State in which an external cost charge is levied shall ensure that the revenue generated by the charge is earmarked for measures aimed at facilitating efficient pricing, reducing road transport volumes and air or noise pollution at source, mitigating its effects, improving CO2 and energy performance of vehicles, including the reduction of oil dependency, and developing alternative infrastructure for transport users.
Amendment 379 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
A Member State in which an infrastructure charge is levied shall determine the use to be made of revenue generated by that charge. To enable the transport network to be developed as a whole, revenue from charges should be used to benefit the transport sector and optimise the entire transport system, for example, through improving control systems for implementing safety and social legislation for drivers, the installation and maintenance of interoperable (satellite based) toll collecting systems as referred to in Directive 2004/52/EC, traffic management, safety of road freight transport and intermodal nodes of the entire transport network, noise reduction at source, infrastructure investments for safer and less oil consuming modes, such as rail and sustainable waterborne transport.
Amendment 395 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 6
Article 1 – point 6
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. No later than 31 December 2013, the Commission shall present a report to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation and effects of this Directive, in particular as regards the effectiveness of the provisions on the recovery of the costs related to congestion and traffic-based pollutiontraffic- based air and noise pollution, damage to nature and the landscape, climate change, oil dependency, accidents other than those covered by insurance and congestion and the inclusion of vehicles of more than 3.5 and less than 12 tonnes. The report shall also assess:For traffic-based air pollution, the Commission shall furthermore present the latest from end 2013 on and for every two years a report on the progress for achieving European legislation standards and targets on traffic-based air pollution reduction and if necessary, take additional measures for reaching these goals.
Amendment 407 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 6
Article 1 – point 6
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point a
Amendment 412 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 6
Article 1 – point 6
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point b
Amendment 416 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 6
Article 1 – point 6
Directive 1999/62/EC
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point c
Amendment 426 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Annex
Annex
Directive 1999/62/EC
Annex IIIa – Title
Annex IIIa – Title
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND COMMON METHODS FOR LEVYING AN EXTERNAL COST CHARGE AND MAXIMUM CHARGEABLE EXTERNAL COST ELEMENTS
Amendment 427 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Annex
Annex
Directive 1999/62/EC
Annex IIIa – introductory part
Annex IIIa – introductory part
This Annex sets out the minimum requirements and common methods for levying an external cost charge and the maximum authorised cost elements to be included when setting the amount.
Amendment 460 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Annex
Annex
Directive 1999/62/EC
Annex IIIa – point 4
Annex IIIa – point 4
Point 4 is deleted
Amendment 530 #
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Annex
Annex
Directive 1999/62/EC
Annex IIIa – point 4 a (new)
Annex IIIa – point 4 a (new)
4.a Each Member Sate shall include all costs incurred as a result of traffic-based air and noise pollution (including effects on health), damage to nature and the landscape, climate change, oil dependency, congestion and accidents other than those covered by insurance. The calculation of the external cost shall be based on the respective methodology for each type of external cost as per the 'Manual on estimation of External Costs in the Transport Sector' based on Article 11(3). Each Member State shall notify its minimum charge amounts to the Commission. The independent authority may adopt alternative methods, provided that the resulting external costs values are not lower than those which have been obtained by using the methodology of the Manual. The trans-border mountainous Alpine region shall apply the principles of the Transport Protocol of the Alpine Convention and therefore be allowed to apply additional non-discriminatory measures for calculating external costs and cross-subsidising rail transport, similar to the Swiss system 'Leistungsabhängige Schwerverkehrsabgabe - LSVA' and introduce an Alpine Transit Traffic Auctioning System 'Transitbörse'.