Toll exemptions for humanitarian aid to Ukraine
Last update : 22/09/2022
The conflict in which Ukraine is currently immersed in has aroused the solidarity of the entire world, and of Europe in particular. The mobility sector is also looking to help, European countries are allowing vehicles that are carrying out humanitarian transport to travel without having to pay tolls.
General information
The different countries mentioned above highlight the importance of submitting the information in due time and not deactivating the corresponding networks/devices before receiving an official and affirmative response on the exemption.
In addition, in countries like Austria, it is necessary to physically carry the toll exemption certificate for that vehicle during that trip, so they recommend that, before starting the trip, the different motorway networks have been informed and the information has been received.
Subsequently, the charging through the devices would have to be deactivated (for example, deactivating the network) so that they would not arrive as chargeable.
Below you have an update on the current situation in each country:
Germany
Humanitarian transports have always been exempt in this country. According to the procedure, you must first register it with Toll Collect. All the information appears on the following website: https://www.toll-collect.de/es/toll_collect/
Austria
Asfinag has informed us that exemptions are planned for all vehicles driving through this country due to the state of emergency in Ukraine.
To access them, it is necessary to complete the form at the following link and follow the instructions: The Austrian toll regulation appears on the website: https://www.asfinag.at/en/toll/tolling-regulation/.
There is a specific section for this case (“Version 67 – Toll exemption for the transport of humanitarian aid to Ukraine”). Appendix 3B would be the valid document for transport in vehicles with a maximum authorized mass greater than 3.5 tons.
This form must be filled out and sent to the following email address: ausnahmeantrag@asfinag.at
IMPORTANT: Requests (Annex 3B) for toll exemption must be submitted before the start of the trip and physically carried in the vehicle. that only “Go-Box” devices are referred to in the form, but the wording will probably change shortly (since the exemption also applies to other devices).
Bulgaria
News on this subject is expected later this week.
France
The French Motorway Association ASFA has confirmed that companies wishing to send aid to Ukraine can request exemption from tolls on the routes they carry through this country.
To do this, they have established Sandra Guillou as a direct contact person for this management, through the following email: sandra.guillou@autoroutes.fr
When contacting her, she will send you the form that will be necessary to fill in and send it back to you once filled out.
However, they report that only charitable and referenced humanitarian aid organizations are authorized to make this type of request.
Hungary
In this country it was already possible to apply for toll exemption in case of transporting humanitarian aid before, so it is not a measure related to the war in Ukraine. However, the application cannot be processed through the NUSZ (the Hungarian toll charger) but, must be requested through the Hungarian Ministry of Internal Affairs filling out an Excel form and sending it by email.
The procedure is described at https://nyilvantarto.hu/hu/utdij_dijmentes:
Registration before traveling is mandatory, and registration can be done by sending an email to kozlekedesi.foosztaly@bm.gov.hu. The registration request must include official data of the company/entity of the applicant, the case (humanitarian aid), supporting document of the case, the license plate number and other data of the vehicle, the start and end date. This page has a link to an Excel table (Bejelentő táblázat) where all the data can be filled in.
As additional information, there is a Decree of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology that defines the legal part (exactly, paragraph 2, (1) point i.) mentions humanitarian aid). Attached document: “Hungary – Ministry of Innovation and Technology Decree”.
Italy
The information should be available in the coming days. The exemptions are being discussed between the different authorities in this country and will be announced soon.
Poland
The Polish Ministry of Infrastructure in reference to this matter states the following: “Tax-free humanitarian aid transports in the e-TOLL system. As Jarosław Waszkiewicz, director of the Public Roads Department of the Ministry of Infrastructure, informed us, the government has made the decision to allow humanitarian aid vehicles to pass through the territory of Poland without paying tolls in the e-TOLL system. Any institution or organization planning the passage of a vehicle or convoy with humanitarian aid through the territory of the Republic of Poland is obliged to provide the following information:
- Number of vehicles.
- Vehicle license plates.
- Country of vehicle registration.
- If possible, the approximate duration of transit through the territory of the Republic of Poland (in both directions).”
To obtain the exemption in vehicles with humanitarian aid, this information must be sent to the Ministry of Infrastructure by email: humanitaritiaid@mi.gov.pl.
In the event that the route crosses any of the sections of privately managed toll motorways, it is possible to exempt these vehicles from the obligation to pay the toll, provided that the affected concessionaire is contacted, and the information is also sent by email in advance.
Below you can consult the means of contact with the different Polish dealers:
- A1 Gdansk-Toruń motorway – Concessionaire Gdańsk Transport Company S.A.: https://a1.com.pl/kontakt
- A2 motorway Świecko-Nowy Tomyśl, Nowy Tomyśl-Konin – Concessionaires: Highway Wielkopolska S.A., Highway Wielkopolska II S.A.: www.autostrada-a2.pl
- A4 Katowice-Krakow motorway, Concessionaire: Stalexport Motorway Małopolska S.A.: www.autostrada-a4.com.pl
Czech Republic
From the Czech Republic they have also established a procedure for requesting exemption from tolls when transporting humanitarian aid to Ukraine passing through this country
To request it, it is necessary to download an Excel document available at the following link: https://mytocz.eu/en/Hum_UA. Clicking on: Please send a notice in the form (to download here)
Once this form has been downloaded and filled out, it must be sent by email, in English or Czech, to the following email: ua@czechtoll.cz
After approval, if the vehicle has an active toll device for this country, it will be necessary to call the Czech customer service number (+420 243 243 243) before entering so that they put the device in transport mode and do not charge of the routes. As an alternative, the driver can also stop at an authorized service point to have this process carried out.
Switzerland
All humanitarian transport is always exempt from paying any road toll/tax. EZV confirmed that in Switzerland vehicles (with a permissible total weight greater than 3.5 tonnes) used for non-profit humanitarian transport are exempt from the HVC.
For this, the following process is defined:
- Application (signed letter / email from the humanitarian organization) including:Solicitud (carta firmada / correo electrónico de la organización humanitaria) incluyendo:
- Description of the humanitarian organization (link to its home page, statutes, etc.), number plate and country code of the vehicle, date of entry to Switzerland of empty vehicle / departure of vehicle loaded exclusively with relief supplies; list the aid supplies.
- It must be sent by email to the following email: lsvaausland@bazg.admin.ch.
Once the application is approved, the authorization will be received by email.
The invoicing of these trips will be subsequently corrected by FOCBS to CHF 0.00 (Swiss francs).
