EU takes Germany to court over road toll system

The European Commission is taking Germany to court over its road toll system for private vehicles, claiming that the scheme is discriminatory.

The EU's executive arm says German law allows owners of cars registered in the country to have the toll deducted from their annual vehicle tax bill, making the system unfair to other road users.

It also notes that prices for an annual toll sticker for cars registered outside Germany are too high in some cases.

The Commission said in a statement Thursday that the toll system does not comply with the European Union's governing treaties on "non-discrimination based on nationality and the free movement of goods and services."

It said that despite numerous exchanges with German authorities since 2014 its concerns have not been addressed.