The experts on the land transport working group hold widely differing positions on revision of Regulation 1072/2009 which deals with cabotage rules in the European Union.
The experts’ discussions relate to the first mobility package, proposed by the European Commission on 31 May of last year (see EUROPE 11799). While the package covers a number of road transport issues, revision of cabotage rules is one of the most politically sensitive points, dividing both MEPs (see EUROPE 11946) and member states’ transport ministers (see EUROPE 11919).
National experts have been working since mid-January on a compromise text drafted by the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU on this chapter and on access to the occupation of road transport operator (revision of regulation 1071/2009).
The Commission suggests putting no limit on the number of cabotage operations in any period of five days; at present, up to three cabotage operations are possible over a period of seven days. Bulgaria is one of a group of states backing increased liberalisation of the market and does not want to revisit this proposal in its compromise. It further advocates a two-day gap between different cabotage operations, in practice forcing the haulier to leave the country and to carry out an international delivery before once again being able to enjoy a “right of cabotage”.
This proposal is, however, far from receiving unanimous backing from the national experts, with positions differing on the very extent of the market liberalisation. In line with the position of several of the Alliance du routier group of countries (comprising Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland), several experts are against making it possible to carry out an unlimited number of cabotage operations over a given period, the very essence of the Commission proposal. These experts want to maintain the current situation, whereas the central, eastern and peripheral states are more in favour of the Commission’s stance.
The Bulgarian Presidency of the Council is expected, therefore, to submit a new compromise text at the start of March, informed by the discussions currently taking place in the working group in an effort to reach agreement in the coming months. All of this comes as the draft report by Jens Nilsson (S&D, Sweden), suggesting cutting the reference period during which an unlimited number of cabotage operations can be carried out from five-days to 48 hours (see EUROPE 11939), is dividing the European Parliament too. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)