"12 days" to save European Coach Tourism

russels – The International Road Transport Union handed over today to EU Commission Vice President and Transport Commissioner, Jacques Barrot, a petition signed by some 20,000 managers and drivers from coach companies across Europe, pressing for the urgent reintroduction of the 12-day driving derogation for European coach tourism.

This petition was also handed over to the Chairman of the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee, Paolo Costa – rapporteur of the recently adopted Parliamentary resolution on a Renewed EU Tourism Policy, which urges the European Commission to examine “possibilities of postponing the rest period after roundtrips (not exceeding 12 days)”.

In April 2007, the removal of the 12-day derogation for international occasional EU coach transport created a major crisis within the coach tourism market. Ever since, coach tour operators have reported a dramatic cost increase of up to 30% resulting from the lost derogation, as well as negative consequences for drivers’ welfare (wages, employment stability, work life balance, job satisfaction, etc.), with companies reporting that as many as 20% of drivers are considering leaving the profession because of the new rules.

IRU Vice President and President of the IRU’s Passenger Transport Council, Graham Smith, said: “Every day that passes is deepening the crisis in our industry and multiplying the difficulties that we face as operators and that our drivers have to cope with on the road. The only sensible remedy for this obvious mistake, an opinion that is increasingly shared by policy decision-makers in the European Parliament and Council, is that the Commission introduce a proposal to urgently reinstate the 12-day derogation.”

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• See Factsheet on the 12 Day Derogation

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