Brussels,

EU Road Strategy

What the EU Road Transport Policy Aims to Achieve
The European Union’s road transport policy is guided by the overarching goal of ensuring that mobility within the EU is efficient, safe, secure, and environmentally sustainable. To achieve this, the policy focuses on several key objectives:

Efficient and Fair Transport Services: Access to the Profession and to the Market
The EU aims to foster competitive conditions in the road transport market by harmonizing rules for access to the profession and to the market. This includes promoting cost-effective freight and passenger services and eliminating unjustified barriers that could distort competition.
Safe and Environmentally Friendly Standards: Road Safety, Safe Parking Areas
Ensuring road safety is a fundamental priority. The EU sets and harmonizes technical standards that improve vehicle safety and reduce their environmental impact. This includes regulating emissions, encouraging cleaner technologies, and ensuring that trucks, buses, and cars meet stringent environmental criteria.
Social and Fiscal Harmonization: Working Time, Driving Time and Rest periods - Tachograph and Charges
The EU seeks to guarantee fair working conditions and harmonized fiscal measures. This includes establishing common rules for drivers’ working and rest periods, enforcing the correct use of tachographs (devices that record driving time), and maintaining minimum vehicle tax levels and consistent toll frameworks.
Effective Implementation and Enforcement:
Proper application of the rules is essential. The EU works to ensure that all Member States apply regulations fairly and consistently. This helps prevent discrimination, improves compliance, and maintains confidence in the transport sector’s legal framework.
Improving Infrastructure and Services: Interconnections
The EU supports better infrastructure, such as the development of safe and well-equipped parking areas along major routes. This enhances security, convenience, and comfort for professional drivers and other road users.

Resources for Further Information:

Road Freight Transport Vademecum:
A resource providing the latest insights into the road freight market, covering industry trends, regulatory developments, and market data.
Transport PocketBook:
A statistical compendium offering up-to-date figures on various transport modes, including road, to support informed policy-making and analysis.
Report on the State of the Union Road Transport Market (COM(2014)222):
A comprehensive review of the EU road transport market, assessing market conditions, regulatory performance, and areas needing further policy action.

By aligning market operations, social standards, safety regulations, and environmental considerations under one cohesive strategy, the EU aims to ensure that road transport remains a cornerstone of sustainable, secure, and accessible mobility across Europe.

Mobility Package I

The Mobility Package I is a set of EU legislative measures aimed at improving working conditions for drivers, ensuring fair competition in road transport and enhancing enforcement. It covers posting rules, market access, driving and rest times, and tachograph use.

1. Posting Rules

Governed by: Directive (EU) 2020/1057
Entry into force: 2 February 2022
Key provisions:
- Clarifies when and how drivers are considered "posted".
- Ensures proper pay and working conditions for drivers operating internationally.
- Requires operators to submit posting declarations via the IMI System.
Q&A Resource: Questions and Answers on Posting of Drivers

2. Market Rules (Cabotage)

Effective from: 21 February 2022
Rules under the revised Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009
Key points:
- Limit of 3 cabotage operations within 7 days.
- Introduction of a 4-day cooling-off period before cabotage can be performed again in the same Member State with the same vehicle.
More info: Cabotage Rules – Mobility Package I

3. Driving and Rest Times

Governed by: Regulation (EU) 2020/1054
Applicable since: 20 August 2020
Key updates:
- Flexibility for drivers in international transport (e.g., weekly rest time postponement).
- Mandatory return of drivers to their home base every 4 weeks.
- Ban on regular weekly rest in the cabin.
Resources: TRACE 2 Training Materials and Guidance

4. Enforcement – TRACE 2 Project

Aims to support efficient and harmonised enforcement of Mobility Package I.
Offers training modules and guidance for national enforcement authorities.
Promotes common interpretations of EU transport law.
Materials: TRACE 2 Guidance

5. Tachographs and Border Crossings

Governed by: Regulation (EU) No 165/2014
Since February 2022, drivers must record border crossings manually when using analogue tachographs or older digital models.
Requirements include:
- Entering country code at the first stop after crossing the border.
- Keeping accurate data for inspections.
Q&A Resource: Manual Recording of Border Crossings – Q&A

Useful Links:

Road haulage

Legislation

Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009
Establishes common rules for access to the international road haulage market, replacing Regulation (EEC) No 881/92.
📄 Download

Policy and Related Documents

An Overview of the EU Road Freight Transport Market in 2015 (2017)
Analysis of the structure, trends and challenges of the freight market.
📄 Download
Report on the State of the Union Road Transport Market [COM(2014)222]
Mandated by Article 17(3) of Regulation 1072/2009; assesses convergence in enforcement and social standards.
📄 Download
The New Cabotage Regime – Questions & Answers
Explains how the 1072/2009 regulation impacts cabotage operations.
📄 Download
Community Licences for Road Freight Transport (2007–2022)
Statistics and analysis on licensing in the EU road freight sector.
📄 Download
Driver Attestations in Road Freight Transport (2007–2022)
Data on attestations issued for drivers of non-EU nationality.
📄 Download

High Level Group Reports

Final Report on the Development of the EU Road Haulage Market (June 2012)
Prepared by an independent expert group before the COM(2014)222 report.
📄 Download
Summary of Recommendations for a Single European Transport Area (June 2012)
Condensed version of the High Level Group's key proposals.
📄 Download

Social provisions

Tachograph

Weights and dimensions

Parking Area

The EU recognizes the importance of sufficient, safe, and secure parking areas along its road transport network, primarily to allow drivers the necessary rest and to secure their cargo. While the responsibility for these parking areas primarily lies with the Member States, the European Commission has actively supported and coordinated efforts to enhance their quantity and quality, in response to the growing demands of transport.

Several initiatives and regulatory frameworks have been established to this end:

Study on Safe and Secure Parking Places for Trucks: The European Commission conducted this study to assess the required number of parking places, pinpoint their needed locations, and propose the EU-Parking standard, a new benchmark for parking quality.
Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013: This regulation sets guidelines for the trans-European transport network, stipulating that every 100 km of the core network should have parking areas that allow Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers to comply with mandatory rest times and benefit from safe and secure parking conditions.
Directive 2008/96/EC: Recognizing the importance of safe rest areas in crime prevention and road safety, this directive ensures that new road sections include adequate and safe parking areas, as verified through road safety impact assessments and audits.
Directive 2010/40/EU and Regulation 885/2013: These legal frameworks mandate the provision of information and reservation services for safe and secure parking places for trucks and commercial vehicles, known as Intelligent Truck Parking.

Through these measures, the EU aims to enhance the road transport infrastructure, making it safer and more efficient for freight and logistics operations across the member states

Legislation

Non EU-countries

Access to the profession

Passenger transport

Road Charging (tolls & vignettes)

The EU's strategy on road charging, guided by Directive 1999/62/EC and its subsequent updates, is fundamental in financing the maintenance and development of Europe's road infrastructure while adhering to principles of fairness and sustainability. Here's a summary of the key aspects:

Taxation and Infrastructure Charging Framework: The EU encourages Member States to utilize taxation and infrastructure charging effectively, aligning with the 'user pays' and ‘polluter pays’ principles. This approach aims to manage congestion, reduce pollution, and support the decarbonization of road transport in line with the Paris Agreement.
Vehicle Taxation: The Directive harmonizes the annual heavy-goods vehicle taxes among Member States by providing minimum rates, calculated based on the vehicle's axle number, configuration, and gross laden weight. The exact structure and collection procedures are managed by national authorities.
Tolls and Vignettes: Common rules are set for distance-based (tolls) and time-based (vignettes) user charges. These charges contribute to recovering the costs of constructing, operating, and developing infrastructure. The directive ensures that tolls are proportional to the distance traveled and vehicle type, while vignettes are scaled according to usage duration. Importantly, from 2024, tolls and vignettes for heavy-duty vehicles will vary based on CO2 emissions, encouraging the adoption of cleaner vehicles.
Non-Discrimination and Efficient Collection: The Directive mandates that national tolls and vignettes must not discriminate against international traffic. Charging schemes should minimize hindrance to traffic flow and, where viable, use electronic systems for collection to avoid checks at EU internal borders.
Reinvestment of Revenues: Revenues from mark-ups and congestion charges are earmarked for reinvestment in the transport sector, particularly to develop the trans-European network. This ensures that the funds collected contribute to enhancing and expanding the transport infrastructure.

Through these measures, the EU aims to create a sustainable and efficient road transport system, balancing the needs for infrastructure development with environmental and social responsibilities

Legislation

Directive 1999/62/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 1999 on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures

Local passenger transport-on-demand (taxis and PHV)

Road Safety

Road safety is a priority in EU transport strategy, focusing on reducing traffic accidents and fatalities.

The EU has set ambitious targets to significantly lower the number of road casualties. Measures include enforcing traffic regulations, improving vehicle safety through technological innovations, and raising public awareness about road safety practices. Infrastructure development, such as safer road designs and better pedestrian and cyclist facilities, is also part of the initiative. The strategy aims to move towards a "Vision Zero" policy, aspiring to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries by 2050.