The court rulings behind the claims
The EU Court of Justice and German courts have ruled that German truck toll rates included costs that should not have been charged. That is why part of the toll can be claimed back.
What was wrong with the toll rates
German truck toll rates are meant to cover the costs of the road network. EU rules, the Eurovignette Directive, say which costs may be included.
In 2020 the Court of Justice of the EU decided that the costs of the traffic police are not infrastructure costs and may not be included in toll rates. The German toll rates had included them.
In individual cases, German courts then ordered refunds with interest for tolls paid in 2010–2011 and 2015–2020.
The key decisions
- 28 October 2020Court of Justice of the EU · C-321/19
Traffic police costs are not infrastructure costs and may not be included in toll rates. The court refused to limit the effect of its ruling in time, and hauliers can rely on it directly before national courts.
Source: CURIA, press release 133/20 ↗ - 30 November 2021Higher Administrative Court Münster · 9 A 118/16
Overpaid toll must be refunded to the haulier in the case. In the Polish test case behind the EU ruling (tolls 2010–2011), the court ordered a further refund with interest because land costs in the toll calculation had been valued wrongly.
Source: VerkehrsRundschau, 1 Dec 2021 ↗ - 20 March 2024Administrative Court Cologne · 14 K 6556/20
Traffic police costs were unlawfully included in the toll rates for 1 October 2015 to 27 October 2020. The court ordered Germany to refund that share to the haulier in the case, with interest. The judgment was not yet final when reported.
Source: beck-aktuell, 8 May 2024 ↗
What it means for you
This page explains the court decisions in simple terms. It is general information, not legal advice. Whether and how much your company can claim is assessed by our German legal partner. Last checked: 10 November 2026.
How much can you get back?
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