Germany unveiled plans on Monday to launch a new toll for foreign motorists aimed at generating funds to help foot the bill for repairing and upgrading the nation’s road network.

The toll, which is to be imposed on the about 700 million foreign motorists using German roads is set to come into force at the start of 2016 and to raise about €600 million ($816 million) in revenue each year for investment in roads, including the nation’s vast freeway system - the Autobahn.

“We want to close the justice gap,” said German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt, referring to the road toll that already applies in about 20 European states.

The imposition of the tax was one of the more controversial parts of the agreement reached last year between Merkel and the left-leaning Social Democrats to forge a new coalition government and has faced criticism from the European Union.

Under the government’s plans, German motorists will be exempt from the toll with Berlin reducing the road tax car owners currently pay so to offset the new charge. However, foreign motorists will be required to pay for a sticker to travel on the nation’s roads.

The stickers for foreign motorists, which are to be purchased over the internet or at petrol stations, will be for ten days, two months or for the whole year.

The ten-day sticker is expected to cost €10, while the two-month sticker should cost €20. The cost of the yearly toll will be based on factors such as the weight of the vehicle and its emissions.

But Dobrindt insisted that the new tax would conform to EU rules, which stipulate that national and foreign motorists should not be treated differently by EU governments.

With this in mind, Dobrindt plans to launch the new road toll by introducing into parliament two separate pieces of law - one covering the toll for German and foreign motorists and the other reducing the road tax for domestic motorists.

comment COMMENT NOW