IRU outlined key measures to improve the treatment of drivers during roadside checks and to digitalise control documents at a high-level conference on road control organised by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Since its adoption in 2020, the interpretation and application of the Mobility Package 1 (MP1) has raised many practical questions.
Clarifying key provisions and scenarios has been IRU’s priority, which has resulted in dedicated actions, projects, questions, trainings, and workshops. Every week, IRU unites a group of more than 100 experts from its members across Europe to discuss challenges and opportunities. This alone shows that, four years after the MP1’s entry into force, the sense of urgency regarding critical clarifications is still there.
At the High-Level Conference on Road Control organised by the Belgian Presidency of the Council, chaired by the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister, Georges Gilkinet, with interventions from DG Move’s Director-General, Magda Kopczyńska, other senior EU officials, Member State experts, enforcers, the European Transport Workers' Federation, and various international organisations, IRU’s EU Director of Advocacy, Raluca Marian, said:
“Although the European Commission has already clarified many of the new provisions, the sector remains concerned by multiple areas that lack clarity. A common understanding, implementation and enforcement of the MP1 rules are crucial for both transport operators and enforcers.”
“IRU will continue to be one of the key promoters of consistent interpretation and application of the rules governing road transport across Europe, including further clarifying the Commission’s posting rules, such as the scenarios relating to the exchange of drivers and trailers as well as combined transport. Once the basic scenarios are clarified in the first half of the year, the Commission should tackle more complicated cases in the second half of 2024,” she added.
Another major issue facing the sector is the national implementation of MP1 remuneration provisions for posted drivers. Transport operators are already expected to follow the new rules when paying drivers posted in host countries. But national remuneration rules are often very unclear.
Despite legal obligations that already bind transport operators and Member States, road haulage carriers and drivers still have major difficulties understanding and applying the numerous complicated national minimum remuneration provisions. Together with the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), IRU has asked the European Commission to equip Member States, operators and drivers with a calculator, as well as the right templates and guidance, to enable the application of provisions regarding the posting of drivers.
Additionally, the EU-funded TRACE 2 project – which aims to promote a common understanding and harmonised implementation and enforcement of MP1 – has developed a set of implementation and enforcement guidelines to serve as a reliable common reference on how to apply MP1 provisions.
“Our focus should be on frequent and heavy offenders. Enforcers must be able to see companies’ risk rating during roadside checks. The Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport must ensure that Member States are ready with their transparent risk rating systems on time, giving companies access to information and the possibility to appeal,” emphasised Raluca Marian.
TRACE 2 is carried out in partnership by CORTE, IRU, the European Transport Workers' Federation, Squaris, as well as with the participation of Euro Contol Route and ROADPOL.
