Navigating the multiple toll systems of Europe can be complex. Almost every country has their own toll system, and recent estimates place the number of individual toll providers in Europe at somewhere north of 100. This can be a lot to deal with for commercial road transport companies.
The European Union has attempted to simplify the process of paying tolls across the continent through a service called EETS. We will now take a look at just what that service is, how it works, and how Eurowag fits into the picture.
EETS stands for the European Electronic Toll Service, and it is an initiative of the European Union. EETS aims to simplify the payment of tolls across Europe by enabling drivers to use a single on-board unit (OBU) for all toll systems in EU countries, managed by a single contract with an EETS provider.
Prior to EETS, freight carriers needed to register their vehicles with each toll system separately. This resulted in multiple contracts with various providers, each with their own invoicing and billing procedure. This created a great deal of time-consuming paperwork and red tape when trying to transport goods across the EU.
In addition, many toll systems also require their own OBU, leading to drivers having a windshield full of OBUs in order to traverse the continent. This, combined with drivers needing to familiarize themselves with various systems for each toll domain, created a negative impact on smooth traffic flow.
There are three main players in the EETS system: users, EETS providers, and toll chargers.
EETS providers enter contracts with users and grant them access to the EETS system throught the entire EU. This significantly reduces the paperwork needed on the part of the freight carrier: instead of entering contracts with each toll domain, they only need to enter one contract with an EETS provider.
Users subscribe to an EETS provider of their choice. They are charged by the EETS provider for tolls their vehicles incur while travelling across the EU.
A major benefit of EETS for users is the reduction in the number of OBUs required: instead of separate OBUs for each toll domain, they can use a single OBU for the EU. This creates fewer distractions for drivers and means they do not have to familiarize themselves with the specificities of each and every toll system.
Toll chargers levy tolls for the circulation of vehicles in an EETS domain. They typically have no contact with EETS users unless there is an enforcement issue. Less time spent on managing toll users means they can focus more of their efforts on road and traffic management, which is a key benefit of the EETS system.
Eurowag is a leading provider of innovative road mobility payment solutions in Europe, and was the first European electronic toll license provider in Central and Eastern Europe.
Eurowag was the sixth company in Europe to acquire the license regulated by the European Directive 2004/52/EC and Decision 2009/750/EC on the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS). This license makes Eurowag an EETS provider, enabling easy toll payments via a single OBU across all countries signed up to EETS.
As an innovation leader, Eurowag recently unveiled the first integrated mobility solution on the market: the Enhanced Vehicle Assistant (EVA). EVA combines simplified toll payments, intelligent telematics, and anti-fraud protection in one OBU. For more information on EVA, visit our dedicated page: Smart Solutions
