Choose your language

Hungary backs road transport in key decarbonisation and digitalisation policies
Hungary | Budapest

Hungary backs road transport in key decarbonisation and digitalisation policies

18 Jun 2021 · Prosperity, Innovation

The Hungarian government has assured IRU of its support for the road transport sector in key EU environmental and digitalisation legislative negotiations.

Last week IRU President Radu Dinescu and General Delegate to the EU Raluca Marian met the Hungarian Minister of Innovation and Technology, László Palkovics, and Secretary of State Dr László Mosóczi to discuss challenges and opportunities for road transport operators in the EU. The meeting was facilitated and attended by IRU member MKFE President József Péter Ignácz and International Secretary Gábor Csányi.

Minister Palkovics committed to support smart environment-related taxation and avoid double or triple taxation which could increase the costs for the EU road transport sector and hinder its competitiveness. In this context, he outlined Hungary’s opposition to extending the EU’s Emissions Trading System to road transport.

IRU and the Hungarian government

The Minister also backed key pillars of IRU’s Green Compact to make the road transport sector carbon neutral by 2050: specifically on promoting combined multimodal transport efficiency and increasing the use of Eco-trucks (higher capacity vehicles). He will speak next month at an Eco-truck dialogue for IRU members and European regulators.

Noting the Hungarian government’s strong emphasis on digitalisation, Minister Palkovics backed IRU efforts on digital enforcement, especially in relation to the EU’s Mobility Package, and stated his government’s intention to sign the electronic protocol of the CMR convention (e-CMR) as a matter of priority.

The Minister also reinforced Hungary’s commitment to, and planned investments in, safe and secure parking areas and efforts to improve working and safety conditions for drivers, a key objective for IRU globally.