Goods vehicles hired without drivers [EU Legislation in Progress]

Written by Marketa Pape (3rd edition, updated on 8.3.2019),

EU rules on the use of goods vehicles hired without drivers have been in operation for over 25 years without change and need to be reviewed to correspond to current and future needs in the transport sector.

As part of the 2017 road transport mobility package, the European Commission proposed to soften the existing restrictions on using hired vehicles in international transport and establish a uniform regulatory framework, which would give transport operators across the EU equal access to the market for hired goods vehicles.

The Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism voted its report on 24 May 2018. Council, concerned with the possible erosion of tax revenues from vehicle registration and enforcement issues, could not endorse a general approach proposed by the Bulgarian Presidency in June 2018. With no progress on the file since, Parliament adopted its position at first reading on 15 January 2019. It will thus be for the TRAN committee in the next parliamentary term to take up the file.

Interactive PDF

• ‘Goods vehicles hired without drivers‘