Newsroom

At the 2026 International Transport Forum (ITF) Summit in Leipzig, IRU’s Secretary General delivered a stark message to ministers and transport leaders: the world has entered a state of permanent crisis mode, and governments must move from discussion to action to help transport systems respond to growing global disruptions.

IRU welcomes the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism’s (TRAN) support for key positions on the Roadworthiness Package and the revision of Eurovignette rules on CO₂ emission classes for heavy-duty vehicles with trailers.

IRU welcomes the European Commission’s new Temporary Crisis Framework targeting several sectors most affected by the energy crisis, particularly the explicit recognition of the exceptional pressures facing road transport operators. However, Member State action remains key to turning the opportunities created by the framework into real support for the sector.

IRU welcomes the European Parliament’s adoption of the agreement reached with the Council on the CountEmissionsEU regulation, establishing a common EU approach to emissions calculation for road transport. This marks the effective conclusion of the legislative process.

IRU welcomes the targeted transport measures, calls for clearer contingency planning should supply conditions deteriorate, and expects broader financial support through a separate State aid framework.

The trucking industry in North America is grappling with several major challenges, including additional tariffs, stricter rules-of-origin requirements, and rising fuel prices. IRU recently brought together Mexican vehicle makers and US carriers to discuss what keeps them up at night.

EU transport ministers convened today in an informal video conference to assess the impact of developments in the Middle East on the transport sector, marking an important step towards a coordinated EU response to rising fuel costs and market volatility.

BUS2BUS 2026 confirms its role as a key platform for industry and policy dialogue. IRU contributed to the discussions, bringing the EU policy perspective and its implications for operators’ day-to-day operations.

IRU and European road transport associations, including IRU members, have released a joint statement ahead of the upcoming court hearing on Austria’s anti-transit measures on the Brenner corridor.

Albania has become the 40th country to join eCMR, the digital protocol to the United Nations CMR Convention.

The UK seeks to better integrate coach services into local transport strategies and the wider mobility system, in line with advocacy by IRU member the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT).

Industry views on decarbonisation progress, challenges and opportunities are sought as IRU opens the 2026 edition of its annual Green Compact survey amid tumultuous fuel price and global energy market volatility.

To support the industry amid trade disruptions and rising fuel prices, IRU has launched a dedicated information hub with real-time alerts, fuel prices, border crossing maps, calls for government action, and more.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, urges governments to immediately release oil reserves to curb rising commercial road transport fuel prices.

Coach mobility must be fully integrated into the EU’s future tourism framework if the bloc is to strengthen competitiveness, sustainability and resilience, IRU stressed at high-level discussions in Brussels.

The EUR 3 billion ETS2 Frontloading Facility is a welcome development. However, without explicit prioritisation, commercial road transport risks being left without the predictable support it needs to decarbonise.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, and the International Transport Forum (ITF) have signed a new cooperation agreement ahead of the ITF 2026 Summit, fuelling their long-standing partnership.

The EU road transport community made significant gains in 2025. In close cooperation with its members, operators and policymakers, IRU helped drive progress on several major EU files, grounded in on-the-ground realities.

The European Commission has adopted the EU Automotive Package, a set of legislative initiatives aimed at supporting the decarbonisation of road transport and the competitiveness of the automotive sector.

IRU called for a grounded and immediate approach to sustainable transport at the launch of the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026–2035 in New York.

IRU welcomes the European Commission’s European Grids Package and Energy Highways initiative as an important first step towards modernising the electricity system. But the essential operational enablers for the electrification of commercial road transport are still missing.

IRU has formally conveyed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen the united and peaceful protest of 5,302 transport operators and shippers from across the EU. They have signed an online petition opposing the Commission’s intention to introduce mandatory zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) purchasing targets.

World Sustainable Transport Day, celebrated every year on 26 November, takes on special significance this year as we count down to the new UN Decade of Sustainable Transport.

What’s new in the 2027 ADR regulation? What are the requirements for using battery-electric vehicles to transport dangerous goods? And how should repacked or undeclared dangerous goods be handled in reverse logistics? Our expert speakers explained all the key points in our recent webinar.

IRU welcomes the European Commission and High Representative’s new Military Mobility Package and calls for practical civil and military cooperation to keep the EU’s transport network strong and ready.

EU ambassadors have reached a political agreement on revised weights and dimensions rules, a long-awaited step towards more efficient, sustainable and zero-emission road transport.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, stressed the importance of an operationally grounded template to make decarbonisation reporting more consistent, usable and clear-cut for industry and governments alike at a recent UNECE roundtable.

With over 1,000 delegates at Kazakhstan's major transport and logistics event this week, IRU highlighted road freight’s transformative role in Central Asia and Eurasia in recent decades, and the need to now focus on the “three Ds” in addition to the overarching “D”, development.

The world’s biggest business-to-business exhibition dedicated exclusively to bus and coach returns to Brussels and IRU is at the heart of it. As a partner of the Busworld Europe Congress 2025, IRU will lead key panel discussions.

As the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union seeks to close negotiations on the long-stalled Energy Taxation Directive, IRU is urging Member States to ensure that all road passenger transport services are treated fairly.

Improving laws, governance, compliance, skills certification and operating conditions to drive safer, cleaner and more efficient commercial road transport is the aim of a new sector reform guide from the World Bank and IRU.

IRU has called on the United Nations to establish global standards for professional drivers, warning that inconsistent qualifications are undermining road safety and efficiency worldwide.

IRU, the European Transport Workers’ Federation and the European Secure Parking Organisation have sent a joint letter to the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President, Roxana Mînzatu, urging concrete steps to accelerate the development of safe and secure truck parking areas across the EU.

In a letter to EU Member States, IRU has urged swift agreement on the Council’s general approach to the revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive.

In an urgent letter to the European Commission, IRU is calling for a six-month EU-wide enforcement grace period for the EU’s new customs import control system for goods moved by road (ICS2 release 3), warning of major disruptions at external land borders from 1 September 2025.