European governments will be able to hit hauliers for air and noise pollution costs after a deal struck in the European Parliament on Tuesday.

Extra taxes on top of existing motorway tolls, levied through controversial data chips scanned as truckers pass checkpoints, will not be mandatory but will be used to encourage companies to invest in equipment less damaging to the environment.

Approved with 505 votes in favour, 141 against and 17 abstentions, the new rules -- stemming from years of tense negotiations between European Union states -- still need final approval by national capitals.

The new law "will ensure that revenue from these charges is used to improve the performance of transport systems and cut pollution," a statement from the parliament said.

On average, three to four euro cents per vehicle and per kilometre "may be added to charges for using transport infrastructure to cover the external costs of road haulage, starting with air and noise pollution."

The law will apply to vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes, unless EU member states secure exemptions -- and governments must commit to use the money to improve transport networks and reduce damage to the environment.

The amount charged will vary according to traffic density under the rules to be phased in over several years.

Despite concerns among environmental campaigners that the new rules do not go far enough, EU transport commissioner Siim Kallas described them as a "revolution" in transport, part of a broader push to move medium-distance travel from road to rail.

earlier related report
Top Italian rice boss held in garbage scam: report
Milan (AFP) June 7, 2011 - The head of a well known Italian rice company was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of illegally burning waste at an energy production plant and bribing public employees, local media said.

Angelo Dario Scotti, whose Riso Scotti rice company is popular around Italy, was arrested and placed under house arrest, according to the ANSA news agency.

In November, authorities shut down an energy production plant owned by Scotti because the plant, which only had permission to burn residue generated during rice production, was in fact burning waste, including plastics and sewage.

The residue created while making rice and some forms of industrial waste can both be converted into biomass energy.

The Italian government offers above market prices for some clean energy products, like those generated from food production.

Scotti's firm fraudulently received some seven million euros from the state for producing clean energy, which had to be repaid after authorities discovered that the plant was actually creating energy from industrial waste.

After his scam was exposed, Scotti and an unnamed number of associates bribed two employees of a state-funded energy company, hoping to avoid repaying the government.

One of the bribed individuals has been arrested while the other was placed under house arrest.

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