London is claiming the Maltese High Commission owes it £722,915 (€848,000) in unpaid congestion charges accumulated over the last two decades.

This was published in a list of unpaid fees and fines amassed by some 160 diplomatic missions based in the UK capital over the last 20 years – totalling £143.5m (€168.3m).

The figures were published by Transport for London, the UK government body responsible for transport.

When asked about this, a spokesperson for Malta’s foreign affairs ministry said: “As the document published by Transport for London indicates, this long-standing matter relates to many diplomatic missions based in London. In this regard, Malta is addressing this request in the same way as other missions and in line with applicable international conventions.”

The issue has been going on since 2020, when the UK foreign secretary issued a written ministerial statement revealing his officials have written to “a number of diplomatic missions and international organisations” to “press for payment” of money owed relating to the congestion charge.

The congestion charge scheme involves a £15 (€17.60) daily fee for driving within an area of central London between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and between noon and 6pm on weekends and bank holidays.

The majority of embassies in London do pay the charge but there remains a stubborn minority who refuse to do so

Various diplomatic missions, including Malta’s, are arguing they are exempt from paying the charges in accordance with international law. They are quoting the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and stressing that the congestion charge is a tax from which diplomatic missions are exempt.

But Transport for London is insisting it is not a tax and should be paid.

In the document listing the overdue fines, Transport for London wrote: “We and the UK government are clear that the congestion charge is a charge for a service and not a tax. This means that diplomats are not exempt from paying it. The majority of embassies in London do pay the charge but there remains a stubborn minority who refuse to do so, despite our representations through diplomatic channels. We will continue to pursue all unpaid congestion charge fees and related penalty charge notices and are pushing for the matter to be taken up at the International Court of Justice.”

In the document, it goes on to list the total unpaid fees accrued by diplomats between the launch of the congestion charge in London in 2003 and the end of last year.

The American Embassy tops the list with charges amounting to £14.5m (€17m) and is followed by the Embassy of Japan with £10.1m (€11.8m) and the High Commission for India at £8.5m (€9.9m).

The lowest bills were accrued by the Embassy of Finland and the High Commission for the Commonwealth of Dominica, with £120 (€140) each, and the Embassy of the Republic of Togo, with a £40 (€47) bill.