Judicial Authorization of Indictment Against Former Minister Andreas Scheuer Regarding Infrastructure Levy Testimony

法院核准對前部長 Andreas Scheuer 關於基礎設施徵費證詞之起訴

May 29, 2026, 16:13
EuropePolitics

Introduction

The Regional Court of Berlin has permitted the commencement of legal proceedings against former Federal Minister of Transport Andreas Scheuer and former State Secretary Gerhard Schulz.

柏林地區法院已准許對前聯邦交通部長 Andreas Scheuer 及前國務秘書 Gerhard Schulz 啟動法律程序。

Main Body

The litigation originates from the failed implementation of a passenger vehicle toll, a project characterized by the CSU as a priority within the previous coalition government. Following a June 2019 ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) declaring the levy unlawful, a parliamentary inquiry committee was convened between December 2019 and summer 2021 to investigate administrative irregularities. Central to the inquiry was the premature finalization of operator contracts in late 2018, prior to the establishment of legal certainty via the ECJ.

此訴訟源於小客車收費計畫的失敗，該計畫被 CSU 視為前任聯合政府的優先事項。繼 2019 年 6 月歐洲法院 (ECJ) 裁定該徵費違法後，議會調查委員會於 2019 年 12 月至 2021 年夏季期間召開，以調查行政違規行為。調查的核心在於 2018 年底，在歐洲法院尚未提供法律確定性之前，便提前敲定營運商合約。

The prosecution's thesis posits that Mr. Scheuer and Mr. Schulz provided consciously mendacious testimony during their depositions. Specifically, it is alleged that the defendants falsely claimed a lack of recollection regarding a proposal from operators on November 29, 2018, to defer contract signatures until the ECJ's determination. This legal trajectory followed the initiation of an investigation in April 2022, predicated upon multiple private criminal complaints.

檢方主張 Scheuer 先生與 Schulz 先生在供詞中故意提供虛假證詞。具體而言，被告被指控就 2018 年 11 月 29 日營運商提出將合約簽署推遲至歐洲法院裁定後之建議，虛假地聲稱不記得。此法律進程始於 2022 年 4 月，係基於多項私人刑事申訴而啟動的調查。

From a fiscal perspective, the administrative failure necessitated a settlement of 243 million euros in damages to the designated operators, finalized through an arbitration process. Regarding the defendants' positioning, legal counsel for Mr. Scheuer has explicitly refuted the allegations. The scheduling of the trial before the Economic Criminal Chamber remains pending, subject to coordination between the court and the involved parties.

從財務角度來看，行政失敗導致必須透過仲裁程序，向指定營運商支付 2.43 億歐元的損害賠償。關於被告的立場，Scheuer 先生的法律代表已明確否認相關指控。經濟刑事法庭的審理時間表目前尚未確定，尚需法院與相關當事人協調。

Conclusion

The proceedings are currently in the scheduling phase following the court's acceptance of the indictment.

在法院接納起訴書後，目前程序處於排定時間的階段。

Vocabulary Learning

The Architecture of 'Nominalization' and High-Register Density

To transition from B2 to C2, a learner must move beyond the action-oriented sentence (Subject →\rightarrow Verb →\rightarrow Object) and master the concept-oriented sentence. This article is a masterclass in Nominalization: the process of turning verbs or adjectives into nouns to create a dense, objective, and authoritative tone.

1. The Shift from Process to State

Observe the transformation of action into static conceptual blocks:

  • B2 Approach: "The court permitted the proceedings to start because the prosecution believes they lied." (Dynamic/Linear)
  • C2 Approach: "The commencement of legal proceedings... [is] predicated upon multiple private criminal complaints." (Static/Structural)

By replacing commencing (verb) with commencement (noun), the writer shifts the focus from the act of starting to the event itself. This is the hallmark of judicial and academic English.

2. Lexical Precision: The 'Mendacious' Threshold

C2 mastery requires the ability to distinguish between 'incorrect' and 'consciously mendacious.'

*"...provided consciously mendacious testimony..."

While a B2 student would use dishonest or false, the choice of mendacious evokes a specific scholarly layer: it implies a habitual or calculated tendency toward lying. Pair this with predicated upon (rather than based on), and the text achieves a level of 'forensic precision' where every word minimizes ambiguity.

3. Syntactic Compression via Prepositional Phrases

Note how the text avoids relative clauses ("which was...", "that had...") in favor of complex noun phrases:

  • *"...the premature finalization of operator contracts... prior to the establishment of legal certainty..."

Analysis: Instead of saying "They finalized the contracts too early before the ECJ made it certain," the author stacks nouns (finalization, establishment, certainty). This creates a 'dense' information packet, allowing the writer to convey a complex legal timeline without the rhythmic interruption of multiple verbs.

Vocabulary Learning

litigation (n.)
Legal proceedings initiated by one party against another in a court of law.
Example:The company faced litigation after the alleged breach of contract.
commencement (n.)
The beginning or start of an event or process.
Example:The commencement of the trial was delayed by a week.
implementation (n.)
The act of putting a plan, system, or policy into effect.
Example:Implementation of the new software took longer than expected.
priority (n.)
Something regarded as more important than other things.
Example:Infrastructure improvements are a top priority for the coalition.
coalition (n.)
An alliance of parties or groups that cooperate to achieve a common goal.
Example:The coalition government formed after the election.
ruling (n.)
An official decision made by a court or authority.
Example:The court's ruling clarified the interpretation of the law.
unlawful (adj.)
Not permitted or authorized by law.
Example:The contract was declared unlawful by the judge.
convened (v.)
To bring together for a meeting or assembly.
Example:The committee convened to discuss the new regulations.
administrative irregularities (n.)
Errors or deviations from proper administrative procedures.
Example:The audit uncovered several administrative irregularities.
premature (adj.)
Occurring before the usual or proper time.
Example:The premature release of the data caused confusion.
finalization (n.)
The process of completing or concluding something.
Example:The finalization of the contract took several months.
mendacious (adj.)
Tending to lie; untruthful.
Example:The witness gave a mendacious account of the events.
depositions (n.)
Statements made by witnesses under oath, recorded for use in court.
Example:The lawyer reviewed the depositions before the trial.
recollection (n.)
The ability to remember or recall information.
Example:Her recollection of the meeting was incomplete.
deferral (n.)
The act of postponing or delaying something.
Example:The deferral of the payment was requested by the client.
trajectory (n.)
The path followed by an object or event over time.
Example:The trajectory of the case shifted after new evidence emerged.
predicated (v.)
Based on or founded upon something.
Example:The decision was predicated on the findings of the investigation.
fiscal (adj.)
Relating to government revenue, especially taxes.
Example:The fiscal policy aimed to reduce the national debt.
arbitration (n.)
The process of resolving disputes by an impartial third party.
Example:The contract stipulated arbitration for any future disagreements.
refuted (v.)
To prove that a statement or claim is false.
Example:The evidence refuted the allegations made by the opposition.
pending (adj.)
Awaiting a decision or outcome.
Example:The case remains pending until the final judgment is issued.
coordination (n.)
The organization of elements or people to work together effectively.
Example:Coordination between the departments improved project efficiency.
acceptance (n.)
The act of agreeing to or taking something as valid.
Example:The court's acceptance of the evidence was crucial to the trial.
indictment (n.)
A formal accusation of a serious crime issued by a grand jury.
Example:The indictment charged the officials with corruption.
Practice C2 words in a crossword→