The guidelines, which also include the introduction of bin taxes, have been published by the European Commission to help local and regional authorities implement its Europe 2020 strategy.

The guidelines are intended to help reduce greenhouse emissions by at least 20% by 2020 and say: “Specific examples of local charging schemes that both generate local revenues and serve wider public policy objectives include: congestion charging for private car use in urban centres; charging for commercial and domestic waste collection and disposal has the advantage of ensuring the sustainability of the service and sending out a clear economic signal to polluters.”

In response, Andrew Bridgen, the Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire, said: “The European Commission doesn't do guidance, it does diktats.

“We should all be under no illusion that this is the direction of travel it wants us to go in.

“This is another example of our EU masters trying to by-pass our so-called sovereign Parliament by going directly to our local authorities with their edict.”