Transport Policy

Access to the market Admission to the occupation   Road haulage General rules Cabotage Driver attestation Hired vehicles   Passenger transport General rules Cabotage

Non-EU countries General Land transport agreement with Switzerland EEA Agreement Interbus agreement

Road charging Infrastructure charging Vehicle & fuel taxes Tolls & user charges for vehicles (including Eurovignette)

Social provisions Driving time & rest periods Tachograph [List of Workshops] Working time Enforcement Form of attestation of activities

Overview

The aim of the Community’s land transport policy is to promote sustainable mobility that is efficient, safe and with reduced negative effects on the environment.

Road transport services account for 1.6 % of our GDP and give jobs to 4.5 million people in the EU. The whole economy and society depends heavily on efficient road transport, 44 % of the goods are moved by trucks and 85 % of the persons by cars, buses or coaches.

The Community policy objectives for road transport are therefore to promote efficient road freight and passengers transport services, to create fair conditions for competition, to promote and harmonise safer and more environmental friendly technical standards, to ensure a minimum fiscal and social harmonisation and to make sure that the rules in road transport are effectively applied without discrimination.

The existing legislation applying to road transport services establishes common rules on access to the market and to the profession, sets minimal standards for working time, driving and rest periods (including enforcement and the use of tachograph), sets minimal annual vehicle taxes and common rules for tolls and user charges.