While the EU transport ministers had considered it "important to keep freight moving" despite the health measures implemented to stop the spread of Covid-19 (see EUROPE 12449/1), the transport of goods is now considerably slowed down by the re-establishment of controls at the EU's internal borders.
In order to improve traffic flow, avoid shortages and facilitate, according to Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean, "the already stressful task" of workers in the sector, the European Commission presented new guidelines on Monday 23 March.
These guidelines relate to green lanes, which the Commission recommended last week (see EUROPE 12447/6), reserved for vehicles transporting essential goods. They serve four purposes.
A quick border crossing. First of all, to speed up the time it takes to cross a border via a 'green lanes'. This should not exceed 15 minutes, said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
"This weekend we had crossing points with more than 40 kilometres of queues. That's a maximum wait time of 18 hours", she lamented in a speech broadcast on her Twitter account.
According to the Sixfold application, which allows real-time tracking of freight, it took about four hours to cross the border from Belgium to France and from France to Germany at certain crossing points on Monday.
"This has to stop", Ursula von der Leyen insisted.
All types of goods. Initially, green lanes were to be reserved for the transport of "essential goods" such as food or medicines. But von der Leyen called on states to ensure the free movement of "all" goods, as "our supply chains in Europe are closely integrated".
Fewer traffic restrictions. "This is an exceptional situation, we have to be flexible", said Ms von der Leyen, calling on national governments to suspend certain restrictions, such as weekend and night bans.
A week ago, for example, Italy lifted bans on public holidays on extra-urban roads for international goods vehicles with a maximum permissible total mass exceeding 7.5 tonnes.
Less red tape. Finally, the Commission advocates a reduction in administrative formalities and health checks. "Procedures at green lane border crossings should be kept to a minimum and streamlined to the bare essentials", a statement said.
According to the new guidelines, checks should be carried out without drivers having to leave their vehicles and present a document other than their identity card and driver's licence or, if necessary, a letter from the employer.
On the website of the Czech Ministry of Transport, for example, it is currently recommended that drivers carry a vehicle registration certificate, driver's card, professional card, employment contract or an order or invoice proving that the purpose of the trip abroad is to import goods.
Member States should not require workers in the sector to carry a medical certificate attesting to their good health, the Commission also believes. She said that “rules such as travel restrictions and compulsory quarantine of transport workers who do not show symptoms” should be "abandoned", but hygiene measures should be strengthened.
No discrimination. Intermediaries, who will be appointed in each Member State (see EUROPE 12449/1), will have to ensure the proper functioning of these "green lane border crossing points".
In addition, the Commission specified that no driver should be discriminated against and that third-country nationals "essential to ensure the free movement of goods within the EU" were also covered by this set of recommendations.
According to the information available on the Commission's platform listing all the exceptional measures taken by the national authorities in the field of transport, only the Czech Republic has so far introduced green lanes. Several States which have reintroduced controls, such as Austria, simply recommend that "freight traffic should be allowed to move as freely as possible".
See Commission guidelines: https://bit.ly/2wnCh7n (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)