Back Important information to all customers and relations about EU Mobility package

Important information to all customers and relations about EU Mobility package

The Mobility Package is the new EU's set of rules for road transport.

The mobility package is divided into three «sub-packages» and has parts have already been launched in the period 2017 - 2019.

The purpose of the new rules is to regulate truck drivers’ work and rest regimes as well as to provide equal access to the profession and local markets. Thanks to the new regulations, an international truck driver will be entitled to better business trip compensation, especially when market wages in the country of delivery are higher than the driver’s home country.


New rules applicable from 2020

  • employer to cover costs for weekly night rest for the drivers

  • allowed with two short week rest periods, must be compensated within the 3rd week.

  • drivers to return to home country every 4 weeks

  • daily and weekly driving hours can increase with one hour to be able to get home for weekly or daily rest
     

The main part, fundamental to road transport, will be applicable from February 2022

  • stricter rules for cabotage

  • change in the working-hour regulations for drivers

  • introduction of a permit and tachograph in vans

  • obligation to return trucks to the company’s headquarters every eight weeks

  • return of the driver to the country of origin will be mandatory every 4 weeks

  • salaries for drivers for cabotage and third-country driving shall be at the level of   the country where the transport is made

  • tightening of the rules for «postal companies»

  • manual registration of all trucks passing borders in Europe
     

New rules applicable from 2023

  • introduction of digital tachograph with GPS in all vehicles
     

Expected side effects for all rules

  • for trucking companies operating in West Europe, it will be more interesting to have a base in West or Central Europe rather than the Baltics or South-East Europe

  • the driver shortage is expected to increase due to lower productivity of current drivers

  • increased pay for non-working days will demotivate working equal days per year, which would result in lower productivity per driver and therefore the need of employing more drivers to keep the same number of trucks running full-time

  • the truck shortage in West-Europe will increase due to the return home requirements (more trucks driving to and from home countries). For PL companies it could be 2/40 days or 5%, for other countries it may hit even up to 10%

  • the per diem payment for drivers will be replaced by a higher salary. Meaning 65% of the salary will be taxed & socially charged after the introduction of the mobility package. For hauling companies, it means a 24% increase in salary costs for drivers
     

How it will effect our customers

  • lower productivity for all drivers will push the capacity in the market further – this again will increase costs and give longer lead times.

  • bookings must be made even earlier

  • we recommend sea or rail freight when possible
     

 

Cabotage will also be regulated so that drivers from higher-wage EU countries will not be at a competitive disadvantage vs. drivers from lower-wage countries.

For logistics and transport companies, the new rules will entail structural changes. Small and medium-sized carriers from Eastern Europe are highly likely to refocus on domestic markets, as the financial costs of transporting goods to other EU countries will be unprofitable. Capacity shortages are therefore expected in Western Europe, and excess capacity is expected in Eastern Europe

For more facts and development, click here; https://www.iru.org/who-we-are/where-we-work/europe/european-commission-mobility-package