The Vignette
Minister for Mobility and Public Works Yuriko Backes has confirmed that the Luxembourg government sought further explanations from Walloon authorities regarding the implementation and modalities of the planned Belgian motorway vignette in the border region.
Responding to a parliamentary question from DP MP Marc Hansen, Backes said the government did not intend to question Belgian sovereignty over traffic policy, but rather to highlight the particularities of the Greater Region, as well as the risks and consequences of such a vignette for cross-border workers.
There are concerns about a negative economic impact on commerce in the Greater Region. Traffic could shift to smaller roads, raising further concerns for the Luxembourg authorities.
The government has proposed the idea of a border zone without the obligation for a vignette. It also highlighted the necessity to assess whether the Belgian toll plans are compatible with EU law.
Backes stated that Luxembourg is in contact with the French, German, and Dutch governments to discuss the impact of the Belgian vignette plan.
Belgium wants to toll its motorways. Luxembourg wants its commuters exempted. France, Germany, and the Netherlands are all in the conversation. The Greater Region has always been a patchwork of borders that people cross daily without thinking about them. The vignette is what happens when one country decides to start thinking about them again.