From next year, Belgian motorways and national roads will no longer be free to use. The annual toll will be €100 for combustion vehicles and €90 for electric cars. Mayor Sammy Wagner says his municipality is bracing for the consequences.
"It is clear that we in Steinfort are not at all enthusiastic about this", Wagner told RTL. "We had hoped that Belgian authorities might still reconsider and take a different decision."
Wagner fears many cross-border shoppers will skip the Belgian motorway and head into border towns via Luxembourg's local roads instead. "I'm thinking especially of the large Swedish furniture store that set up here a few years ago", he said, referring to the Ikea in Arlon.
According to Wagner, up to 3,600 round trips are possible from Luxembourg to the store each day. He expects some drivers to take alternative routes through local villages, though he admits the full impact is unclear.
"How will they enforce this? Where will cameras be placed to check whether drivers have the required vignette? Which roads will actually be affected? Officially, it's supposed to cover motorways, national, and regional roads, but there's still no published list", Wagner said.
"The simplest option for Luxembourg drivers wanting to save nine euros would be to leave the motorway at Wandhaff, drive through Hoen and Klengbetten, then head towards Sterpenech, or alternatively go via Grass to Sterpenech."
Wagner wants backing from Luxembourg's authorities. His municipality plans to work with the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works to manage any additional traffic.
"The Minister for Mobility did respond on behalf of the government, voicing concerns. However, it is a sovereign decision for Belgium. We now have to wait and see whether European law will be respected and whether the toll as announced is actually implementable. There is little more we could have done at this stage. I am not here to point fingers, I just need concrete, pragmatic support from our government to cope with the day-to-day impact."
For Wagner, the vignette sends the wrong signal for a region that should benefit from open borders. He also plans to keep talking to the neighbouring municipality of Arlon.
Mobility and Public Works Minister Yuriko Backes was unavailable for an interview for health reasons. In a written statement to RTL, she said the government only learned of the vignette through media reports and has not yet received an official reply to its exemption request.
Once the final documents are available, the ministry will review them and assess whether Belgium’s plans comply with EU law, she added.
