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.

EU Mobility Package rules will apply to light commercial vehicles from 1 July 2026.

IRU welcomes the vote of the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) on the provisional agreement revising the coordination of social security systems at EU level.

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.

The IRU x Upply x Ti report on European road freight rates in Q1 2026 reveals a divergence between contract and spot markets. Contract rates reached 140.1 index points, a solid 3.2-point increase quarter on quarter (q-o-q) and an 8.9-point increase year on year (y-o-y). Meanwhile, spot rates edged down slightly to 132.3 index points, falling by 2.8 points q-o-q and ending the period 2.0 points lower y-o-y.

On 30 April 2026, Brent crude is trading near USD 126, the highest level since 27 February and up around 18% week on week. The European market is heading into the 1 May Labour Day holiday with a tight cluster of national fiscal policy decisions. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

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 member the American Trucking Associations (ATA) has been calculating the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership since the 1970s. Here are the results for March 2026.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, and the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), the voice of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance safer dangerous goods transport.

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 member CEVA Logistics and Lenovo have teamed up to advance low-carbon, cross-border, door-to-door transport solutions.

Hundreds of participants from across China gathered at a recent event on how TIR drives more efficient cross-border transport and supports a broader range of business needs.

On 24 April 2026, Brent was trading above USD 105 a barrel despite the indefinite extension of the US–Iran ceasefire announced on 21 April. Diesel pump prices in the EU fell week on week, but stabilised over the last few days, marking a halt to the downward trend. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

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.

Close to 2,000 road transport operations were conducted via Iraq under the global TIR system over the past year.

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.

On 17 April 2026, Brent reached USD 98.83 a barrel, up 35% since 27 February, while the week-on-week move was flat at +0.6%. Although huge price gaps remain between countries, EU diesel averaged EUR 2.07 per litre, up 27% cumulatively since the start of the war, down from 33% last week. A similar slight easing of pump prices was also seen in Brazil, Türkiye and the US, but not China. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

An intermodal TIR operation from China to Uzbekistan marks a new step in the expansion of the global transit system and cross-border logistics innovation in China.

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.

The war in Iran is reshaping logistics. How are routes changing? How are companies adapting? What is the outlook for newly evolving routes? We tackled these pressing questions and much more during our webinar.

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

IRU highlighted how the global TIR system is bolstering China–Central Asia transport links at a regional workshop in Beijing.

The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is entering into full operation across Schengen external borders, marking a new phase in its rollout.

As of 10 April 2026, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely restricted, with only 5–7 vessels transiting daily versus over 100 pre-war. Brent crude reached USD 97.08 a barrel, down 11.5% from last week's peak of USD 119.24 but still 33% above the pre-war baseline. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

IRU welcomes the European Parliament transport committee’s strong backing of the revised EU vehicle registration rules. This is a major step towards simpler and more efficient procedures for operators.

Fuel accounts for nearly a third of operating costs. With today’s fuel price volatility, daily tracking is essential to protect your margins.

As of 2 April 2026, the energy shortage is worsening across multiple fronts, with diesel bearing the heaviest impact, forcing governments to take action. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

The logistics playbook is changing. Flexibility and harmonised tools are more important than ever, IRU said at FIATA’s global event.

IRU’s new Intelligence Briefing, along with the accompanying webinar, is now available for download. It provides a data-grounded view of where road freight is heading in a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.

IRU’s message at the EU business forum in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, was clear: impactful road transport reform requires strong cooperation among development partners, institutions and the private sector.

Decarbonisation is a decades-long journey. But CEVA Logistics is quick to remind us that the road to net-zero is a daily endeavour – and that a host of solutions are already at our disposal.

IRU welcomes the adoption of the EU Talent Pool as a step towards addressing labour shortages, including in road transport, but stresses that it must be accompanied by concrete measures to deliver results.

The war is entering its fifth week. A fragile diplomatic window has opened, but with no ceasefire in sight, energy markets remain tense. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

eTIR is gaining momentum in Central Asia, with cross-border operations planned for the coming months.

As the fuel market crisis intensifies across the EU, IRU has urged its transport ministers to take immediate and coordinated EU-level action to keep supply chains moving and protect people’s mobility.