He discussed it French ecotax, the one that is about to be applied to all goods transport vehicles exceeding 3.5 tons transiting on the 15.000 km of national road network not allowed in the transalpine territory (free motorways, national roads), will be a deal for Italy.
Indeed, while the majority and the opposition on the other side of the Alps are arguing strongly over a tax wanted by the Sarkozy presidency and which the centre-left government is now struggling to abolish, despite the fierce protests of consumers, the Ecomouv' group, 70% controlled by Autostrade per l'Italia, obtained the installation and management of the devices (costing between 500 thousand and one million euros each) for an investment of 650 million euros and estimated revenues of 2,8 billion over the next 12 years, those foreseen by the agreement with the French State.
An agreement that now in Paris they would have liked not to honor, given the perplexities of the same majority on the possible negative repercussions on consumption, but which at the moment Prime Minister Ayrault has only been able to postpone: in the event of cancellation of the contract signed with Ecomouv' in 2011, France would in fact have to reimburse the company chaired by Daniele Meini (ex Autostrade per l'Italia) of around 1 billion euro, of which 800 million to be paid immediately. Not to mention the fact that he would thus give up an estimated 1,2 billion in revenue per year, not irrelevant for the state coffers.
Meanwhile Ecomouv', which is based in Paris and presents itself as a public company, controlled by Autostrade per l'Italia but also owned by French companies such as the public railway company SNCF (10%), the aerospace company Thales (11%) and the tlc Sfr (6%), has already moved forward. In fact, the vehicle detection system foresees 250 gates and 180 electronic arcades already installed, just as 200 people have already been hired at the operational base in Metz, France, and a switchboard is in place to correctly inform hauliers of this ecological tax, designed to encourage and promote alternative modes of transport such as river and sea transport and rail transport, but which is now creating quite a few headaches for the Hollande presidency.
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