Rules for international transport and drivers
Do you work as a driver and transport goods internationally? Or do you have an international transport business? Read more about the EU rules on driving and rest times, posting and tachograph positioning, among others.
What is the European Mobility Package?
The European Mobility Package contains rules for international transport. The European Union (EU) wants to improve working conditions and conditions for truck drivers and road safety, among other things, with the mobility package.
New rules for international transport
These are the main changes for international transport:
These rules apply to weekly rest periods and rest facilities:
Drivers must not drive for too long and must take regular breaks and rest. They are also allowed, for example, to rest in suitable accommodation for their weekly rest at the employer's expense.
Drivers who are posted (in Dutch) are entitled to the minimum wage, collective labour agreement wage, and certain employment conditions of the EU country where they are working.
They must also get a posting certificate.
Lorry drivers must register any border crossing in the tachograph. A country code is used for this.
Newly registered lorries must have a type 2 smart tachograph (SMT2). A smart tachograph automatically tracks the location of the vehicle and registers border crossings. Check which tachograph is compulsory for your vehicle and until when you can still use an analogue or 1st generation tachograph.
The EU wants to discourage letterbox companies. A letterbox company is one that only has a postal address in a specific country and no staff or office. The business and staff are situated in another country.
Discouraging letterbox firms will make the market for international freight transport fairer. There are rules on how and where a transport company can be based (in Dutch)
Also, a vehicle that transports goods internationally must return to the EU country where it is based every 8 weeks. This is called ‘return home vehicle’.
The European mobility package contains rules on cabotage. Cabotage means that a transport company transports goods between 2 points within another EU country. For example, a Spanish transport business transports products between 2 cities in the Netherlands. Lorries are allowed to make a maximum of 3 cabotage trips in 7 days. Afterwards, they must leave the country again.
After the last cabotage trip, a lorry is not allowed to do any more cabotage trips for 4 days in that EU country. This is called the 'cooling-off period'.
Combined transport
For pre- and post transport within 1 country, cabotage rules also apply. However, a country may choose to make the periods shorter or longer.
Lorries that weigh over 2.5 tonnes making international journeys need a Euro licence. This previously only applied to lorries weighing more than 3.5 tonnes.
As of 31 December 2024, drivers must be able to show an inspector the driving and rest times for the past 56 days. This used to be 28 days.
Rules in other EU countries
The rules of the European Mobility Package apply to all EU countries. However, countries are allowed to determine some rules themselves. For example, the cabotage rules for combined transport. Also, the rules that are incorporated into national laws do not come into force on the same date everywhere.