26/01/2021 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 21 January, the European Commission opened for consultation its roadmap for establishing “more adequate” rules on driving times for drivers who occasionally transport passengers by bus or coach. For the time being, the latter are subject to the same rules as drivers of lorries transporting goods. This results in high regulatory costs for operators, uneven rules in national and international transport and increased stress and fatigue for drivers, says the Commission. Several “policy options” are therefore open to it: – maintain the status quo in order to assess the consequences of the recent changes made to the ‘mobility package I’; – allow a limited postponement of the weekly rest period; – allow a flexible distribution of breaks. This list should be refined with the impact assessment and the results of the consultations, the Commission indicates. (AC)