Federal Council adopts introduction of voluntary electronic motorway tax sticker

Bern, 21.11.2018 - During its meeting on 21 November 2018, the Federal Council decided that the existing adhesive motorway tax sticker should not be completely replaced, but should instead be supplemented by an electronic alternative on a voluntary basis. Acceptance does not necessarily exist for purely electronic tax collection according to the Federal Council's findings following last year's consultation. It has instructed the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) to prepare a corresponding dispatch by mid-2019.

The adhesive motorway tax sticker introduced in 1985 is not to vanish entirely, but should instead be supplemented by an electronic form of collection (electronic motorway tax sticker). During the consultation, various parties considered the establishment of a comprehensive camera-based control system for number plate recognition to be disproportionate for the implementation of a simple flat-rate annual charge. Moreover, the opponents were sceptical about data protection.

Consequently, the Federal Council is seeking a free choice between the existing adhesive motorway tax sticker and an electronic motorway tax sticker. Instead of completely replacing the adhesive motorway tax sticker system, vehicle owners should be free to decide whether they wish to continue to affix an adhesive motorway tax sticker to the vehicle for the use of motorways subject to a toll, or whether they would prefer to use an electronic motorway tax sticker. Those who opt for the electronic version must register their vehicle's number plate in the system via an online application. As before, checks will be carried out by the police and the Federal Customs Administration in line with the new circumstances.

The adhesive motorway tax sticker is to be optimised wherever possible.


Address for enquiries

David Marquis, Media Office Head, Federal Customs Administration Media Section
Tel. +41 58 462 67 43, medien@ezv.admin.ch



Publisher

The Federal Council
https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html

Federal Department of Finance
https://www.efd.admin.ch/efd/en/home.html

Federal Roads Authority
http://www.astra.admin.ch

https://www.admin.ch/content/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-73041.html