German parliament gives final approval to car toll plan

BERLIN – The German parliament has given final approval to plans for a highway toll for passenger cars.

Parliament’s upper house let the plan pass on Friday when opponents were unable to muster a majority to stall it. The toll, a pet project of the smallest of Germany’s three governing parties, has drawn widespread criticism and for a time was held up by a dispute with the European Union.

The EU’s executive Commission argued that Germany’s initial plan was discriminatory toward non-German car owners, as it would allow owners of cars registered in Germany to have the toll deducted from annual vehicle tax bills. Under a compromise announced in December, the toll will now take into account how much any car pollutes the environment.

Germany plans to levy the toll from 2019.