MEPs of the European Parliament's Transport Committee on Tuesday 22 January approved by a very large margin (39 votes to 1 with 1 abstention) Karima Delli's (Greens/EFA, France) report on the time limit for the implementation of the special rules regarding maximum length in case of cabs delivering improved aerodynamic performance, energy efficiency and road safety performance.
This vote echoes the European Commission's proposal of 17 May to accelerate the deployment of trucks equipped with aerodynamic cabs (see EUROPE 12022).
This proposal translates into the revision of Directive 96/53/EC on maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic. This text has already been amended by Directive 2015/719/EU, allowing trucks equipped with aerodynamic cabs to derogate from the maximum lengths set by EU law. In particular, from a road safety and energy efficiency perspective.
Yet this latter Directive does not allow the introduction of such cabs in trucks until three years after the entry into force of provisions on the extension of cabs. However, these latter provisions have not yet entered into force.
For this reason, the Commission has proposed to abolish this three-year moratorium and shorten it to four months after the entry into force of the proposed text. MEPs have taken a position on this point for a period of six months.
At the EU Council, discussions are ongoing and the meeting of the Working Party on Land Transport on Monday 21 January showed that there were differences on this deadline. This text, however, could be the subject of a consensus in the coming days. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)