BERLIN, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Following the European Court of Justice (EJC) ruling against Germany's planned road toll scheme, the Ministry of Transport announced on Wednesday that the contracts on automatic control and toll collection had been terminated.
The Austrian toll operator Kapsch TrafficCom as well as German ticket specialist CTS Eventim are affected by the termination of contracts.
On Tuesday, the ECJ overturned the German road toll plans arguing that the fee violated EU law by discriminating against non-German drivers.
German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer spoke of a "surprising and regrettable verdict," but added that the discussion was "not over." A user-based fee was the right solution, also for its "environmental steering effect."
Immediately after the verdict was announced on Tuesday, Scheuer set up a task force to evaluate the ruling and the first decisions have been executed "immediately," the transport ministry explained.
CTS Eventim already hinted that Germany's government could now face financial claims after the failure of the toll plans. The German ticket specialist was "in consultation" with the transport ministry, "examining the effects of the ECJ ruling on our cooperation."
"Our contracts contain protective provisions that prevent financial losses for the operating company and its shareholders," the ticket specialist said on Tuesday. "This also applies in the event that the infrastructure levy is not introduced."
According to a report by Rheinische Post, the parliamentary group of Germany's Green Party was seeking more transparency about the consequences of the ECJ ruling.
"In particular, we expect information on the expected compensation payments to the companies Kapsch and Eventim," the German newspaper quoted a motion tabled at today's meeting of the German Parliament's Transport Committee.
