Romanian Hauliers Demand TollRo Fine Delay Until Spring 2027

The Confederation of Authorised Transporters and Operators in Romania (COTAR) has called for fines for non-payment of the new TollRo electronic toll to be suspended until 31 March 2027. The group also demands the temporary removal of the fixed 2,000 lei tariff until the system becomes fully functional.

Parliament is expected to debate an emergency legislative proposal on the matter. The bill would not cancel the payment obligation but would shield hauliers from penalties during the transition period.

“The legislative initiative does not seek to defer the obligation to pay the road tax, but to protect hauliers from sanctions during the period when payment and recording means still present deficiencies.”

COTAR argues that the mobile applications required to identify routes and process payments do not work reliably in all situations. Hauliers risk being fined for obligations they cannot technically fulfil.

The National Company for Road Infrastructure Administration (CNAIR) announced the TollRo platform would launch on 1 October 2026 after a pilot phase starting 16 September. COTAR notes the contractual pilot period requires at least four weeks, meaning it cannot conclude before mid-October.

CNAIR itself has publicly acknowledged the system is not ready for the new regime on 1 October. COTAR cites the Dutch model, where a transitional measure was used to avoid sanctions during similar technical problems.

TollRo replaces the vignette for heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, charging based on distance travelled, vehicle weight, emission class and road category. Light vehicles remain in the vignette system with new "polluter pays" pricing from 1 October.