Austria and Germany Disagree on How to Handle Traffic at the Brenner Pass

Two weeks ago, Austria's leader, Christian Stocker, met with Germany's leader, Friedrich Merz. They wanted to show they agreed on many things, like dealing with migrants, controlling borders, and cutting down on EU rules. They said they would find a solution to the problem of traffic passing through Austria, but they didn't say how.

The traffic issue wasn't a big deal in Berlin, but Stocker talked about it more in Vienna on Thursday. However, he wasn't with Merz. Instead, he was with Markus Söder, the leader of Bavaria, a state in Germany. Söder believes that Austria's way of limiting trucks on the road is against EU law.

What's the Traffic Problem About?

The problem is about the Brenner Highway, which connects Tyrol in Austria with South Tyrol in Italy. It's very important for travel and trade between Germany and Italy. But, figuring out how to manage the traffic on the Brenner Pass is a challenge. The goal is to avoid traffic jams and also reduce noise and pollution for the people who live nearby.

Tyrol feels bothered by the increasing amount of truck traffic on the Brenner Pass. So, they started limiting the number of trucks allowed on the road and banning certain vehicles. Germany is not happy about this. Italy is also unhappy and sued Austria in the European Court of Justice in 2024 because of these traffic restrictions.

Söder said Bavaria agrees with Italy's lawsuit. He also said that even if Tyrol stopped limiting trucks, the traffic problem would still exist. Stocker called Tyrol's actions "emergency measures."

A "Slot System" as a Possible Solution

Söder has tried to find a solution with Stocker's predecessors, Sebastian Kurz and Karl Nehammer. One idea was to increase tolls, which would make the Brenner Pass less appealing. Switzerland did this, but it caused more trucks to use the Brenner Pass, making the traffic even worse.

For Austria, raising tolls isn't possible because it would go against EU law. Now, they're considering another idea: a "slot system." This means trucking companies would book time slots to pass through the area, which would control the traffic better.

In 2023, Bavaria, Tyrol, and South Tyrol agreed to this idea, but the Italian and German governments were against it. Austria was in favor of it before. Stocker didn't give a timeline for implementing the system. He said he would discuss the issue with Italy's leader, Giorgia Meloni, during his trip to Rome next week.

In addition to the slot system, Stocker said more traffic should be moved to trains. This is another old idea. He also said the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT), which would reduce traffic on the highway, should be completed as soon as possible. The northern part of the tunnel needs to be built quickly, but Germany is responsible for this and hasn't made much progress. The BBT is currently scheduled to open by 2032.