The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) on Thursday 12 December welcomed the provisional agreement reached in the morning between the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament on the social and market aspects of the ‘mobility I’ package (posting of lorry drivers, driving and resting time, tachographs, cabotage and market access) (see EUROPE 12389/7).
According to the federation’s press release, “the agreement doesn’t include all elements the ETF has fought for, but it does represent progress towards the declared goals and ambitions of the Package”.
In terms of things to celebrate, the ETF particularly welcomed the fact that the agreement provides for regular return of the vehicle to the country where the driver’s employer is established. For the federation, this is “a key measure in combating letter-box companies in road transport”.
The ETF also welcomed the inclusion of light commercial vehicles (vans) in the text, the introduction of a ‘cooling-off period’ for cabotage operations, and the obligation to install a second generation smart tachograph on all vehicles.
On the other hand, with regard to driving and resting time for lorry drivers, the organisation considers that the provisional agreement represents a step backwards compared to the current rules. “The derogations on the rest periods and the driver’s return home fall short of bringing improvements to the sector and to our workers”, it asserted.
The UETR is also satisfied. In a statement issued on 13 December, the European Road Haulers Association (UETR) also welcomed the agreement, describing it as “a pretty balanced compromise between harmonisation and liberalisation”.
“We have now a set of new rules for road transport, after a very long process which has taken two and a half years of intense negotiations”, said Julio Villaescusa, President of the UETR.
Like the ETF, the UETR welcomed the provisions on cabotage, which it believes will provide regulated access to the international transport of merchandise by road. It also welcomed the fact that, according to the provisional text, the introduction of the second generation smart tachograph will also apply to light commercial vehicles. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)