Amended EU mobility package a concern for hauliers

The European Parliament’s position on the revision of road haulage rules is damaging to international road haulage, according to the FTA.

It is urging EU Member States to amend critical elements of the package in the upcoming stage of negotiations, and points out that whatever happens with Brexit, these rules will affect UK hauliers – at least in the short term.

“FTA has long been calling for the European Parliament to adopt clear, reasonable, and enforceable road haulage rules,” Sarah Laouadi, the FTA’s European Policy Manage, said.  “While its position does include attempts to streamline the administrative requirements hauliers are facing, the proposed rules leave too much room for interpretation as to who is eligible to these facilitations and are therefore likely to create enforcement issues.

She added that the FTA welcomed “some positive signals within the proposed package.  It is encouraging to note that the European Parliament acknowledges that the current patchwork of admin requirements needed to demonstrate compliance with minimum wage rules in the various EU countries is not sustainable; it should be replaced with one single set of simplified rules.  Besides, the European Parliament is in favour of exempting some transport operations from minimum wage red tape altogether.

However, she said the FTA was “disappointed that the European Parliament decided not to reverse the ban on drivers taking their regular weekly rests in the cabin even though the lack of appropriate facilities makes it virtually impossible to comply with the ban.  EU Member States should push for flexibilities on this rule, to be applied when drivers park in safe and secure parking areas with reasonable levels of comfort and services.

“Most importantly, they should invest and incentivise private investors to upgrade the network of truck parking areas across Europe.

Members of the European Parliament will now negotiate with representatives of EU Member States and agree on the set of road haulage rules.