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of distance chargin
Page 14
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• The European Commission (EC) has launched an investigation into the terms of the contract for the provision of a distance-based charging programme in Germany.
The investigation will examine the effect on competition within the telematics industry of a clause restricting the provision of value-added services to the contract winners Toll Collect ( CM6-12 Feb). The EC's concern is that the in-vehicle devces, designed to capture tolling fees under the distance-based charging programme, will also be used to provide a range of driver information services. Currently, provision of such add-on services is said to be restricted to the Toll Collect consortium, giving it an allegedly unfair advantage in the emerging telematics market in Germany.
The EC is hoping that its four-month investigation will give greater access to the in-vehicle devices by competing telematic service providers, An EC press release says: "The Commission has serious doubts at this stage whether the transaction can be approved in its present form," It is not known what effect the investigation will have on the proposed start date for distance-based charging in Germany of 31 August this year.