Prepare for 2026: CO2 Tolls, 2G Phase-Out, and ICS2 mandates to reshape international transport costs

Looking ahead to 2026 it’s worth reminding ourselves of changes coming for several aspects of international transport – and to be prepared for them.

In the EU there is going to be a considerable upward trend in truck fuel and road toll costs, and an increasing reliance on digital tools, according to the IRU.

In terms of EU road tolls, the telecommunication networks that increasingly support the AI technology for operators and drivers on board units (OBUs) is being phased out, the original 2G networks introduced in the 1990s are now obsolete and preventing EU countries from reaching their 2030 5G targets,

France will begin pilots in early 2026 and expect 2G technology to have completely disappeared by the end of December 2026. The UK is planning to achieve this in 2030. Some key road tolling systems in Europe will not be operable with 2G equipment by the end of 2025.

Road Toll fees themselves are increasingly changing to distance and CO2 emissions-based charges, and the EU plans to extend CO2 tolling to new vehicle classes including trailers. The CO2 emissions of the entire vehicle combination will influence the toll rate from 2030. Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV’s) will be subject to tolls from January 2026 albeit at a reduced rate in line with the Commission's policy of stimulating investment in ZEV’s, which is planning to keep reduced tolls for zero emission trucks until mid-2031.

Another example is ICS2, French customs have postponed the mandatory use of the smart borders digital envelope system to early 2026 but hauliers carrying UK exports to France must already enter new ICS2 declarations before arriving at the port. Failure to comply invariably results in delays, and in the future the application of fines and or the confiscation of goods by French customs.

On a more positive note, the proposal for a taskforce to develop an EU-wide strategy to plan, permit and develop safe and secure truck parking areas as a matter of urgency, again with results expected on the ground by 2030.