Fuente: © European Parliament
http://www.europarl.eu.int/

EU: Modern rules for road freight operations and road transport operator licensing

/noticias.info/ Parliament gave a first-reading to two legislative proposals aimed at modernising the rules on access to the road freight transport market and licensing for road transport operators. The vote on a third report on road passenger transport was postponed. It was notably agreed that restrictions on freight cabotage (delivery operations within a Member State other than that where the haulier is based) will be lifted by 2014.

Road freight market

Matthieu Grosch (EPP-ED, BE) saw his report adopted with 499 votes in favour, 153 against and 46 abstentions. The key issue was cabotage: when and to what degree may a haulier from one Member State collect and deliver goods within another Member State. Parliament agreed with the Commission that, for the time being, when a haulier takes a delivery to another Member State, he or she may then make three consecutive cabotage operations (i.e. collections and deliveries within that Member State) before returning to their home country within seven days.

Parliament wants, however, to see these restrictions phased out. By 378 votes to 294, it adopted a provision increasing the permitted number of cabotage operations to seven with effect from two years after the entry into force of the legislation, and then abolishing all restrictions on the number and duration of cabotage operations on 1 January 2014.

Member States, should enter in their national register of road transport undertakings all serious infringements to the rules committed by hauliers which have led to the imposition of a sanction. Parliament decided however, that it would be a disproportionate also to include repeated minor infringements in this arrangement

Road passenger transport: vote postponed

Parliament decided to postpone, at request of the PES group, to postpone the vote until June or July on the second report by Matthieu Grosch on the international road passenger transport. Representatives of the industry and trades unions have recently agreed a deal on the key issue of the "12 day rule" for occasional cross-border services. This would allow drivers of tourist coaches to work on 12 consecutive days - something that would not otherwise be allowed under the general rules on rest days for drivers of passenger vehicles. By postponing the vote Parliament will be able to examine this agreement and if appropriate take account of it in the legislation.

Stricter rules for admission to the road transport sector

By adopting a report by Sylvia-Adriana Ticau (PES, RO), by 634 votes in favour to 288 against with 45 abstentions, Parliament has set the outlines for stricter licensing rules for those providing road transport services. It endorses, in particular, proposals to ensure transport managers are properly qualified, provisions on the good repute of an operator, and the withdrawal of licences of operators guilty of serious infringements.

Transport providers must be of "good repute" to obtain an operating licence and MEPs adopted a list of infringements which may lead to the loss that status. Transport operators also need provide proof of their financial standing and short term solvency, and provisions are included to prevent operators working via "letterbox companies".

Qualified managers must be a resident of a Member State. They must give evidence of their professional competence and if serious infringements are committed under their responsibility, they will be disqualified and will not be able to work as a transport manager within the EU. But MEPs said minor infringements should not disqualify managers and also simplified the financial requirements.

Finally, a number of amendments tighten provisions on the storage and exchange of data in the national transport data registers in order to protect individuals.
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