Tax and Customs Administration checks Eurovignettes of foreign lorries

Throughout the country, the Tax and Customs Administration will carry out quick checks regarding the use of the Eurovignette, in particular of foreign lorries. That has been made known by Minister De Jager.

Large and heavy lorries have a large impact on the roads and pay separate duties as a result of it: the duty for heavy motor vehicles. Dutch carriers mostly do this automatically, because their registered offices are based in the Netherlands. But it turns out that, in particular in the border regions, foreign drivers do not always buy such a vignette. The Tax and Customs Administration has calculated on the basis of random checks that each year approximately 30 million euros are wrongfully not paid.

For instance, the inspection of a certain transport company showed that nothing had been paid for more than one third of the drives. The Eurovignettes can be ordered abroad via the internet and at large petrol stations. The sum per lorry amounts to between 960 and 1550 euros on an annual basis. The amount of the exact sum depends on the number of axles, the environmental category and the period involved.

The checks will be carried out by clearly recognisable flash cars provided with an infrared camera that can scan up to 60 registration numbers per minute. The computer system on board of the flash cars will compare the registration number with the file of Eurovignettes sold. If no vignette has been bought, the lorry will be pulled over and the duties owed as well as the fine will have to be immediately paid by bank card or credit card. The fine can mount to several thousands of euros in case of repeated offences.

The Dutch Organisation of Transport Users and Transport on Own Account (EVO) as well as the Dutch Transport Operators Association are positive about the fact that the Tax and Customs Administration will hold up the transport as little as possible during the checks. In collaboration with these organisations, the Tax and Customs Administration will inform various professional media and sector organisations at home and abroad about the use of the Eurovignette. This fits in with the method of the Tax and Customs Administration for ensuring that tax payers comply with their fiscal obligations as much as possible by their own accord.