While fourth draft compromises were sent on Monday 12 November by the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union to national delegations on the social and market aspects of the first ‘mobility’ package (posting, cabotage, driving and resting time) for a meeting of Member States' ambassadors to the Union ('Coreper') on Wednesday 14 November, it would appear that the amendments made by Vienna to the old texts are minor.
According to our information, the amendments would in fact only concern certain specific issues, so the main points already put forward by Vienna are maintained (see EUROPE 12132, 12129).
Thus, the waiting period following cabotage operations, before a new "cabotage right" can be granted, would be increased to seven days, against ten days previously (see EUROPE 12121).
A specific provision would also apply to island countries, primarily Cyprus and Malta, concerning the establishment of carrier operating centres on the mainland.
In addition, the synchronisation clause, which aims to align the date of entry into force of the revised provisions on the secondment of lorry drivers and the date of introduction of second-generation intelligent tachographs on board all vehicles operating on the territory of other Member States, would in practice be maintained. The Council's legal services would have indicated that this clause could not legally be introduced, but the date of 2024 for the application of the rules on secondment and tachographs would be retained.
The Road Alliance expresses its demands. A ministerial meeting of the Road Alliance (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland) was also held on Monday 12 November in Brussels.
In a joint communiqué, the ministers wished to recall that they attached "particular importance" to the establishment of "clear and enforceable" rules on the internal market, to "improved living and working conditions for drivers" and to "improved road safety".
Demonstrating their willingness "to adopt a constructive approach", they recalled that discussions were ongoing with regard to secondment, cabotage, driving and rest periods and the "regular return of drivers and vehicles to their Member State of establishment". (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)