On Thursday, the Saeima adopted the amendments to the law on road usage fees that had previously been returned by the president for reconsideration.
The amendments provide that from March 1, the rates for vignettes for freight transport weighing over 3.5 tons will change, while for lighter commercial vehicles, the changes will take effect next year.
At the same time, benefits have been established for farmers, as well as large families and re-emigrants. In addition, the range of roads for which a fee will have to be paid has been expanded.
"The changes in fees should be proportional and should not disproportionately increase the burden on local businesses, so the commission promotes solutions that minimize this impact as much as possible," noted Anda Čakša, the chairwoman of the budget and finance (tax) commission of the Saeima, responsible for promoting the bill.
The amendments stipulate that from March 1, for vehicles with a total weight exceeding 3.5 tons, the fee for using the roads will be set depending on the engine emission class: for zero-emission vehicles, the vignette will be free, while for other classes, the fee will be increased. To lessen the impact on small businesses, the increase for vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tons has been postponed until January 1, 2027.
At the same time, the parliament adopted a number of benefits so that the increase in fees would create as little burden as possible for farmers and small entrepreneurs. Farmers will be exempt from purchasing a vignette for nine months of the year instead of the current three. Accordingly, they will only need to purchase a vignette during the winter months - in December, January, and February. This amendment also abolishes the 270-day vignettes, as they are no longer necessary.
It is also provided that in large families and re-emigrant families, a vignette can be purchased at half price for one freight vehicle with a total weight from 3 to 3.5 tons, registered in the ownership or temporary use of a family member, if the fee is purchased for 30 days or for a year.
For vehicles and their combinations with a total weight from 3.501 to 12 tons in the engine emission class "Euro 0, I, II," the daily rate increases from 15 to 17 euros, the weekly rate from 37 to 43 euros, the 30-day rate from 74 to 87 euros, and the annual rate from 760 to 870 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro III," the daily rate increases from 12 to 24 euros, the weekly rate from 30 to 37 euros, the 30-day rate from 60 to 74 euros, and the annual rate from 610 to 740 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro IV," the daily rate increases from 9 to 13 euros, the weekly rate from 22 to 32 euros, the 30-day rate from 45 to 64 euros, and the annual rate from 460 to 640 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro V and EEV," the daily rate increases from 9 to 12 euros, the weekly rate from 22 to 30 euros, the 30-day rate from 45 to 61 euros, and the annual rate from 460 to 610 euros. In the emission class "Euro VI" and less polluting engines, the daily rate increases from 7 to 10 euros, the weekly rate from 18 to 24 euros, the 30-day rate from 37 to 48 euros, and the annual rate from 380 to 480 euros.
For vehicles and their combinations with two or three axles and a total weight exceeding 12 tons in the engine emission class "Euro 0, I, II," the daily rate increases from 24 to 29 euros, the weekly rate from 60 to 73 euros, the 30-day rate from 120 to 145 euros, and the annual rate from 1220 to 1450 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro III," the daily rate increases from 18 to 24 euros, the weekly rate from 45 to 60 euros, the 30-day rate from 90 to 120 euros, and the annual rate from 910 to 1200 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro IV," the daily rate increases from 15 to 22 euros, the weekly rate from 37 to 55 euros, the 30-day rate from 74 to 110 euros, and the annual rate from 760 to 1100 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro V and EEV," the daily rate increases from 15 to 19 euros, the weekly rate from 37 to 47 euros, the 30-day rate from 74 to 95 euros, and the annual rate from 760 to 950 euros. In the emission class "Euro VI" and less polluting engines, the daily rate increases from 8 to 14 euros, the weekly rate from 20 to 35 euros, the 30-day rate from 40 to 70 euros, and the annual rate from 420 to 700 euros.
For vehicles and their combinations with four or more axles and a total weight exceeding 12 tons in the engine emission class "Euro 0, I, II," the daily rate increases from 41 to 46 euros, the weekly rate from 100 to 115 euros, the 30-day rate from 200 to 230 euros, and the annual rate from 2100 to 2300 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro III," the daily rate increases from 34 to 38 euros, the weekly rate from 85 to 95 euros, the 30-day rate from 170 to 190 euros, and the annual rate from 1720 to 1900 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro IV," the daily rate increases from 27 to 34 euros, the weekly rate from 67 to 85 euros, the 30-day rate from 134 to 170 euros, and the annual rate from 1360 to 1700 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro V and EEV," the daily rate increases from 27 to 30 euros, the weekly rate from 67 to 75 euros, the 30-day rate from 134 to 150 euros, and the annual rate from 1360 to 1500 euros. In the emission class "Euro VI" and less polluting engines, the daily rate increases from 13 to 22 euros, the weekly rate from 34 to 55 euros, the 30-day rate from 68 to 110 euros, and the annual rate from 700 to 1100 euros.
From January 1, 2027, for vehicles and their combinations with a total weight from 3 to 3.5 tons in the engine emission class "Euro 0, I, II," the daily rate increases from 10 to 12 euros, the weekly rate from 25 to 31 euros, the 30-day rate from 50 to 63 euros, and the annual rate from 510 to 630 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro III," the daily rate increases from 8 to 11 euros, the weekly rate from 18 to 27 euros, the 30-day rate from 36 to 54 euros, and the annual rate from 370 to 540 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro IV," the daily rate increases from 6 to 10 euros, the weekly rate from 15 to 25 euros, the 30-day rate from 30 to 50 euros, and the annual rate from 310 to 500 euros. In the engine emission class "Euro V and EEV," the daily rate increases from 6 to 9 euros, the weekly rate from 15 to 22 euros, the 30-day rate from 30 to 45 euros, and the annual rate from 310 to 450 euros. In the emission class "Euro VI" and less polluting engines, the daily rate increases from 5 to 7 euros, the weekly rate from 12 to 18 euros, the 30-day rate from 25 to 36 euros, and the annual rate from 260 to 360 euros.
Along with the change in vignette rates, the list of roads for which a fee must be paid has been expanded: a number of regional roads have been added to the main roads of the country, which merchants previously used to avoid purchasing a vignette.
The Ministry of Transport informed the LETA agency that additional revenue from road usage fees this year is planned for repair work to restore the section of the Daugavpils highway (A6) from Nīcgale to Daugavpils and the section in Ikšķile, to restore the section of the Vidzeme highway (A2) from Grundzāle to Dārzciems, to reconstruct the section of the Daugavpils ring road (14) from Svēte to the intersection with the Daugavpils highway, and to restore the surface of the section from Tīnūži to Koknese (P80).
The ministry reminds that vignettes do not need to be purchased for trucks that are not used on toll roads, for example, for those transporting goods within their own farm or nearby and not traveling on toll roads. In addition, vignettes are not required for vehicles weighing over 3 tons if they are not registered as freight vehicles. For example, this includes a family car with seven seats. Vignettes are also not needed for freight vehicles with a total weight of up to 3 tons, such as the "Citroen Berlingo" and others.
As reported, on December 3, the Saeima adopted amendments to the law on road usage fees, providing that from January 1 of next year, most fees for freight vehicles weighing over 3 tons will be increased; however, the president sent the law back to the Saeima for reconsideration on December 9.
