ZSA achieves - from 10.07. farmers do not have to pay for the vignette

The government supports the ZSA proposal, which stipulates that farmers will not have to pay road tolls during the season.

On June 26, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the procedure for paying the road toll (vignette), collecting and administering it, which stipulates that the payer of the road toll - the recipient of the road toll exemption, receives an exemption from the toll for the period from July 10 to September 30, before starting to use the road. The exemption can be obtained by using the e-service provided by the CSDD, indicating the specific vehicle and the date when the exemption is used. The procedure will come into force from July 1, 2018. The specific supported proposal is considered a partial compromise between the Ministry of Transport and the Farmers' Assembly; unfortunately, farmers failed to achieve a complete abolition of the vignette.

The procedure provides that the VAS “Road Traffic Safety Directorate” (CSDD) may apply the exemptions specified in the regulatory enactments for vehicles owned or held by a specific person. In turn, the Rural Support Service shall submit to the CSDD, by January 1 of each year, a list of natural and legal persons included in its payment recipient database who are exempt from paying the fee, indicating the income from agricultural production in the last submitted company annual report or the last submitted annual income declaration, excluding the received state and European Union (EU) support for agriculture and rural development.

The State Joint Stock Company “Latvijas Valsts ceļi” and the CSDD are responsible for ensuring the provision of toll collection services throughout the country.

From July 10 to September 30 of the current year, no fees are charged for vehicles whose owner or keeper is a natural or legal person included in the Rural Support Service payment recipient database:

a) if a person owns or possesses one registered vehicle, the exemption from the fee for it shall apply if the taxpayer's income from agricultural production in the last submitted annual report of the company or in the last submitted annual income declaration is at least 5,000 euros;

b) if a person owns or possesses several vehicles, the first exemption from the fee shall apply if the taxpayer's income from agricultural production in the last submitted annual report of the company or in the last submitted annual income declaration is at least 5,000 euros, and for each subsequent vehicle, the exemption from the fee shall apply for every 70,000 euros of income from agricultural production in the last submitted annual report of the company or in the last submitted annual income declaration.

By receiving taxpayer data that is subject to an exemption from paying the fee, individuals are exempted from submitting separate applications and documents, and the time required for their processing is significantly reduced, as well as the administrative burden and the time required for reviewing and applying the exemption.

Exemption from paying the road toll can be obtained using the electronic services system maintained by the CSDD. Despite the fact that agricultural producers can receive a 100% exemption from paying the road toll, it is necessary to indicate the toll payment in the CSDD e-services system 0 euros value.

It is already possible to pay the road toll on the portal. https://e.csdd.lv, this service provides companies with the opportunity to pay road tolls (vignettes) more conveniently and flexibly and to monitor the vignettes attached to their company (for example, change the validity period before the vignette comes into effect, keep track of the total number of vignettes of their company). Road tolls are paid by transfer.

The CSDD ensures that the toll payer can apply for an exemption for the appropriate number of vehicles for the specified period. In cases where a person is not entitled to an exemption for all vehicles, he or she is given the opportunity, using the e-service provided by the CSDD, to indicate which of the vehicles should be exempted from the road toll.

If persons who are exempt from paying the fee have paid the fee, they will be able to apply to the State Revenue Service for a refund of the paid fee.