EU Road Transport Policy

8/13/2019 EU Road Transport Policy

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Open roads across Europe

ROAD TRANSPORTPOLICY

EUROPEAN

COMMISSIONDirectorate-General

for Energy and Transport

2006_3857Road Trans-ENbat 12/5/06 8:44 AM Page 1


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Foreword

ContextRoad transport a vital component

Reviewing needs

A level playing-field

Open markets, open highwaysResponsible operators sought

Driver attestation

For safety's sakeNew rules for driving licences

Improving training standards

Making trucks safer

Transporting dangerous goods

Time to belt-up

Fair charging across the EUVehicle tax and fuel duties

Taking their toll: Infrastructure charges

International connectionsEasing the Alpine crossing

From Russia with goods

Interbus making passenger travel easier

CONTENTS

1

2

4

6

10

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The European Commissions Directorate-General for Energy and Transport develops and carries out EUpolicy in these closely linked areas. The mid-term review of the 2001 White Paper, Keep Europe moving Sustainable mobility for our continent sets out a work programme designed to bring about significantfurther improvements in the quality and efficiency of transport in Europe by 2010. Improving theconditions in which road transport services can be operated throughout Europe is an essential conditionfor the smooth functioning of Europes economy, and a vital contribution to improving the health andquality of life of all Europeans.

Published by: European Commission, Energy and Transport DG,B-1049 Brussels

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/energy_transport/index_en.html

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2006.

European Communities, 2006

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

Manuscript completed on 15 November 2006.

Photos courtesy of: DaimlerChrysler AG, European Community 2006, Hugh Jenkins, MAN Group, Renault

Trucks,Scania CV AB, Seimans,Volvo

ISBN 92-79-03148-1

Printed in Belgium



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hroughout history, the transport of passen-

gers and freight has been an integral part of

our daily lives, a motor of economic develop-

ment and an important component of our own

well-being. Not surprisingly, transport policy was

enshrined as one of the first Community policies in the

1957 Treaty of Rome the founding Act of todays

European Union. Since completion of the internal mar-

ket in 1992, road transport in Europe has substantially

changed: rigid national concession regimes have been

abolished, the intra-EU transport market has been

opened up to free competition and even temporary

services by hauliers in countries other than their ownhave become possible.

Existing regulations in the road transport sector, as with

European legislation in general,aim to provide a single,

harmonised regulatory framework instead of 25 differ-

ent and potentially conflicting ones. Road freight and

passenger markets are opened up: any company any-

where in the EU that meets EU professional require-

ments may set up business in any Member State.

Similarly,a single Community licencehas been created

and accompanying documents have been harmonised

to ensure that borders or national administrative prac-

tices do not act as barriers to the growing prosperity

generated by the road transport sector. This is a classic

tale of how creating a single European market hasspurred competition and created one of the most

dynamic and efficient sectors of the economy.

This brochure provides details of the EU regulatory

framework for the road transport sector. Each section

outlines not only what has happened,but also the way

ahead. Despite the gains to the sector thanks to

European integration, more remains to be done to

ensure we have a legal framework that is clear, easily

enforceable and without unnecessary administrative

burdens, so that road transport can continue to be an

engine of economic growth in Europe.

Jacques Barrot

Vice-President of the European Commission,

responsible for Transport

FOREWORD

1

T

ROAD TRANSPORT POLICY



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ROAD TRANSPORT A VITAL COMPONENT

oad transport has a central role to play in the

continued health and growth of Europes

economy. Europeans expect goods to be

delivered door-to-door to all corners of the

continent, quickly and on time. Often road transport is

the only answer to the demand for such high levels of

mobility and flexibility a situation that will remain

despite increasing investment in other modes. The

transport of goods between Member States is set to

increase by 50 % between 2000 and 2020. Road trans-

port which already conveys 73 % of goods on land

will undoubtedly take the lions share of that expansion.

The road transport sector itself already contributes

hugely to the European economy: it provides about

4.5 million jobs and generates a turnover worth about

1.6 % of EU gross domestic product. And without an

efficient, vibrant road transport system, other modes

cannot function properly as most freight and passen-

ger journeys begin and end with a trip on the road.

Road transport therefore also plays a vital role in the

development of Europes integrated transport net-

works and intermodal transport solutions.

The European Union is committed to providing the

best conditions for an open market for professional

road transport services by which we mean journeysby lorries and coaches to ensure mobility of goods

and people, and to enable job creation and economic

growth. The challenge is to make all of this possible

while helping the sector to become more efficient,

safer and cost-effective.

R

Modal split of freight transport in the EU-25

(2005 figures, based on tonne-kilometres performed)

Modal split of passenger transport in the EU-25

(2004 figures, based on passenger-kilometres performed)

Air0.1%

Sea39.3%

Road44.4%

Rail9.7%

Inlandwaterways

3.3%

Pipelines3.2%

Source: Eurostat,ECMT and national figures

Sea0.8%Air

8.0%Tram and metro

1.2%

Railway5.8%

Bus and coach8.2%

Motorcycles2.4%

Passenger cars73.6%

Source: Eurostat,ECMT, UIC, European Commission and national figures


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2 000

1 500

1 000

500

0

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Reviewing needsThe mid-term review of the European Commissions

2001 Transport White Paper Keep Europe moving -

Sustainable mobility for our continent(1), sets out ways

to provide Europeans with effective transport sys-

tems that ensure the free movement of people and

goods as a means of guaranteeing social and eco-

nomic cohesion. This will require further develop-

ment of the internal market for road transport serv-

ices. The Commission is therefore developing strate-

gies on market access that are simple, clear and easy

to enforce.The EU is also committed to reducing con-

gestion on roads over the coming years, particularly

on trans-European networks again the aim is to

improve the flow of goods and people.

The review also underlines the need to protect trans-port users and improve their safety and security, as

well as the working conditions of all Europes profes-

sional drivers. The Commission is also keen to pro-

mote innovation to ensure the sustainable competi-

tiveness of all transport modes this will include

using technology to improve logistical efficiency

relating to Europes huge fleet of trucks and lorries.

Figures show that even in the flexible world of road

haulage, 25 % of journeys are still running empty.

A level playing-field

The Unions internal market for road transport has like

other aspects of European life undergone a massivechange in the past few years.Member States are bene-

fiting greatly from the worlds largest free market, and

road transport is helping to promote the economic

cohesion of the EU. The EU is committed to high com-

mon standards in social rules for road haulage, which

include revised regulations for driver working time,

driving hours and rest periods and increased checks on

lorries (for specific details see pp. 68). This new legis-

lation, adopted in 2006, should prevent unfair compe-

tition in the road transport industry, and reinforce

safety standards throughout Europe.

32

(1) Keep Europe moving Sustainable mobility for our continent,

COM(2006) 314, adopted 22 June 2006.


Growth in road freight transport in the EU-25

(billion tonne-kilometres)

Source: Eurostat,ECMT and national figures



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he Commission is committed to nurturing an

open market in road transport, as a means of

bolstering the EUs internal market for all

goods and services. And as the EU focuses ever

more strongly on the economy and job creation as

laid down in the Lisbon strategy it is ever more vital

that road transport oils the wheels of growth.

Of course, ensuring that the market functions effi-

ciently in a non-discriminatory way requires huge

effort on behalf of the Union and Member States, in

terms of harmonising rules and regulations on a range

of issues that relate to road transport, in particular

ensuring that road transport operators receive fair andequitable access to the worlds largest single market.

Responsible operatorssought

The EU liberalised the transport market for both

goods and passenger carriage in 1998. In reality, that

means freight or passenger transport operators

based in the Union can supply international transport

services between any Member State provided that

they are a recognised operator and hold a

Community licence.

To be recognised as a bona fide operator, three key cri-

teria must be met:

Good repute professional operators are expected

to comply with rules and regulations,those who do

not must be weeded out.

Sound financial standing hauliers and passenger

transport operators must be able to guarantee the

viability of their businesses.

0

50 000

100 000

150 000

200 000

250 000

300 000

350 000

BE

CZ

DK

DE

EE

EL

ES

FR IE IT

CY

LV L

TLU

HU

MT

NL

AT

PL

PT S

ISK F

ISE

UK

OPEN MARKETS, OPEN HIGHWAYS

T

Employment in freight and passenger transport on roads in the EU-25

(2004 or latest figures)

Source: Eurostat

Road freight transport sector

Road passenger transport sector

Numberofjobs



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54

Professional competence to ensure that cus-

tomers receive safe, reliable transport services,

operators have to show a level of competence in

the way they run their businesses and check theirvehicles. In practice,this has led to the harmonising

of professional competence certification through-

out the EU. Now operators must hold a Community

certificate of professional competence.

The next step for EU transport operators is to obtain a

Community licence from their home Member State.

The licence allows them to carry out international

transport operations throughout the Union,and must

be renewed every five years. Operators must carry a

certified copy of this document in each of their vehi-

cles. It shows that they comply with the national traf-

fic requirements of their country in accordance withthe relevant EU regulations.

These good operator requirements exist to prevent

unscrupulous companies gaining custom by taking

short-cuts on safety. And by helping to harmonise

financial standards and levels of competence, they

also improve the professional status of the road trans-

port industry.

Driver attestation

Every driver from a non-EU country who drives an EU

operators vehicle while carrying out cross-borderhaulage activities within the Union must carry the

correct driver attestation.This certifies that the driver

is legally employed by the operator who owns the

vehicle, and that she/he meets all the professional

conditions required by that operators Member State.

Cabotage a free

market essential

Essentially, cabotage means the transportation of

goods within one country by a haulier from

another country. In the EU, cabotage is allowed on

a temporary basis. This means, for example, that a

French transport company discharging a cargo

from Paris in Seville can instead of driving empty

to Barcelona to pick up a load to be carried back to

France transport goods between Seville and

Barcelona. At the moment, cabotage makes up

about 1.2 % of the road transport market, but opti-

mising the use of capacity is important for reduc-

ing environmental damage.

The new Member States will, after a transitionalperiod, enjoy the right to carry out cabotage serv-

ices. There were worries in the sector about the

possible adverse effects of running cabotage serv-

ices. These centred on potentially unfair competi-

tion from lower-wage countries which could

undercut operators who have to bear the greater

costs of working in a more tightly regulated envi-

ronment. However, cabotage does not appear to

have undermined national markets or operators of

good repute. What is more, the recent legislation

relating to driver times, rest periods and checks

will help bring the application of social conditions

into line in all Member States, and will further

reduce the chances of transport companies being

unfairly undercut.




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n 2005, nearly 41 000 people lost their lives

in road accidents across the EU, and many

thousands more were injured. Making

Europes highways as safe as possible is

therefore a key Union priority.

New legislation, agreed in 2006 by the European

Parliament and Council, will improve driving condi-

tions for hard-pressed lorry and bus drivers, and

increase the number of checks on European trucks

and coaches.

In relation to driver working conditions, the key

points of the new package include:

an obligatory minimum daily rest of nine hours for

drivers, up from the previous eight hours, and

obligatory breaks during driving time;

a rest period of at least 45 consecutive hours every

two weeks;

measures to prevent professional drivers from

driving more than 56 hours a week.

Crucially, in terms of liability, the drivers employers

are now responsible for obeying the new rules. This

legislation complements the EUs special working

time directive for professional drivers.

Member States are required by EU law to enforce

social legislation and safety requirements related to

road transport. This includes carrying out regular

checks, both at the roadside and at company prem-

ises. The new legislation will triple the number of

checks and improve the way information on viola-

tions is exchanged between Member States.

FOR SAFETYS SAKE

I

Security and openness

finding the balance

Terrorist attacks in Madrid and London have shown

how vulnerable public transport infrastructure is to

attack. And the Commission is also looking at ways

to tighten the security of intermodal and goods

transport. This could include developing a single

security certification system for the logistics chain

across Europe.



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76

New rules for

driving licencesThe EU agreed new rules for driving licences in March

2006, which will impact on professional drivers as well

as regular motorists. The changes will harmonise

licence validity periods for all drivers and medical

rules for professional drivers, and reduce fraud by

ensuring all drivers have a licence based on a single

model. This will replace the 110 different types of

licence currently valid across the different Member

States. Mandatory, regular renewal periods will be

introduced truck and bus drivers will now have to

renew their licences every five years. Furthermore,

professional drivers will have to undergo medical

checks each time their licences are renewed.The changes will also strengthen rules concerning

progressive driver access to more and more powerful

lorries.New categories relating to the technical make-

up of smaller trucks and buses are being introduced.

Also, licences for buses will be amended to refer to

the number of passengers a driver can carry, rather

than to the number of seats in their vehicle.

Improvingtraining standards

In 2003, the EU adopted a new directive to improve

professional driver training standards. Previously

there was no obligation for most drivers to undergovocational training essentially experience gained

on the job could see a driver move on to larger and

larger vehicles.

The Commission recognised this was an inadequate

way to ensure that drivers had the requisite up-to-

date skills and knowledge. The 2003 legislation offers

drivers the choice of carrying out a compulsory mini-

mum level of training, or a more extensive full basic

training package.

Drivers can expect to learn about safety rules,compli-

ance with legislation, and related issues such as

health and safety, servicing and logistics. Full basic

training lasts 280 hours, carried out over eight weeksof 35 hours each; while compulsory minimum train-

ing is 140 hours. Drivers must also undertake a brief

refresher course at five-year intervals.

Secure parking areas

Lorry drivers need to stop when making inter-

national trips to comply with EU rules on drivingtimes and rest periods. However, throughout

Europe there are complaints about a lack of secure

parking facilities which means that drivers, vehicles

and cargo are vulnerable to thieves and worse.

In February 2006, the Commission launched a study

to explore the feasibility of secure parking areas.

Its review assessed current levels of security and

found out what is needed to make parking areas

safer for drivers.The Commission also provided sup-

port to the construction of model parking areas.




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Making trucks safer

Any heavy goods vehicle driver will tell you that largelorries have a blind spot when they turn right (or left if

the vehicle is right-hand drive). The Commission esti-

mates the problem causes about 500 fatalities a year

on Europes roads, and is a particular risk to cyclists.

In 2003, the EU agreed a directive that requires rear-

view mirrors to be upgraded to reduce this blind spot.

Accordingly, new lorries weighing more than

3.5 tonnes have to be equipped with blind-spot mir-

rors from 2007. The debate on the practicalities of

retrofitting these mirrors to Europes existing five mil-

lion heavy goods vehicles has shown that there is a

strong case in favour, and the Commission has there-

fore come forward with a new proposal to that effect.

Transportingdangerous goods

Moving dangerous goods, such as chemicals and

petrol, is governed by EU law which applies the rules

laid down in the ADR convention to all transport in

the EU. EU law provides rules on the transport of dan-

gerous goods, including the movement of trans-

portable pressure equipment; and uniform proce-dures for checking the transport of dangerous goods.

Laws also cover the appointment and training of

safety advisers, and ensure that vehicles meet certain

technical requirements to transport dangerous

goods in as safe a way as possible.

The move to digital

tachographs

Every lorry, bus and coach on EU roads must be fit-

ted with a tachograph to record information on

their journeys. Tachographs used to be analogue,

and data concerning driving times, rest periods,

loading times and mechanical work was printed

out on paper disks. However, recent technological

advances have seen the introduction of digital

tachographs, which are capable of recording more

data including speed, distance covered and driveridentification with much greater accuracy. They

are also much more secure against tampering than

their analogue predecessors.

The EU has reacted to this technological advance

by making digital tachographs compulsory in new

heavy goods vehicles and buses from 1 May 2006.

Interoperability certification will ensure that tacho-

graph equipment will always work with products

made by different manufacturers.



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98

Time to belt-upSince 9 May 2006, it has been compulsory throughout

the EU for coach and bus passengers aged three and

over to wear seat belts where they are fitted. The

operator must tell their passengers about these new

requirements,and seat belts must be worn whenever

people are seated and the vehicle is moving. This EU

law complements earlier legislation that requires

coaches, larger mini-buses and non-urban buses to be

fitted with seat belts. All such vehicles registered after

1 October 2001 must have restraints fitted.


The Road Safety Char ter

Europes transport associations and companies are

signing up to the European road safety charter. The

aim is to encourage stakeholders to take whatever

steps are necessary to help improve road safety in

Europe in particular to achieve the goal of halving

the number of traffic fatalities by 2010. The Charter

also acts as a platform for the exchange of ideas

and best practice.

For more information see:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/roadsafety/charter/

index_en.htm



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he EU is committed to developing a compre-

hensive approach to road transport taxes

and charges. This is still a challenge because

rates for use of infrastructure, annual road tax

and fuel duties vary across the Union. Differences in

these costs distort competition in Europes road

haulage sector, which runs counter to the Unions aim

of creating an open market that is fair and transparent.

Vehicle tax and fuel duties

The EU has developed common rules on annual taxes

for heavy goods vehicles over 12 tonnes. They pro-

vide for a minimum rate for this type of tax, which

goes some way to reducing the differences that exist

between Member States.

In the European Union, all fuels are subjected to a

minimum rate of excise duty.In terms of diesel by far

the most widely used fuel in the road haulage sector

that works out at a minimum rate of EUR 302 per

1 000 litres of fuel.

The aim is to reduce the differences that exist inMember States excise duty charges, though rates do

still differ greatly across the Union.

Taking their toll:Infrastructure charges

Another cost factor facing commercial road transport

operators is the cost of using infrastructure such as

motorways and bridges, levied in the form of tolls and

user charges. The Eurovignette directive, adopted in

1999 and subsequently modified in 2006, establishes

common rules relating to distance-based tolls andtime-based user charges for goods vehicles over 3.5

tonnes. The aim of the legislation is to improve the

way the internal market operates by reducing differ-

ences in tolls and charges across the EU.

Key points of the directive include the following:

Tolls should only correspond to distance travelled

and type of vehicle; and user charges should relate

to the time spent using the infrastructure.

Tolls and user charges may vary according to con-

gestion and vehicle emission class.

Tolls and charges can be levied for the use of roads

that are part of the trans-European network (TEN)or under certain circumstances parallel roads.

As a general rule, distance-based tolls and time-

related charges shall not be applied on the same

stretch of road.

National tolls and charges should be non-discrimi-

natory, and should be easy for the motorist to

understand, so as to avoid unnecessary hold-ups

and problems at toll booths. Mandatory checks at

the EUs internal borders should also be avoided.

FAIR CHARGING ACROSS THE EU

T

An electronic toll system

no more fumbling for change

One major irritation for all drivers is having to

queue at toll booths to pay charges. The problem ismade worse on international routes as drivers of

different nationalities figure out what they have to

pay, sometimes in a currency they do not know

well. Such conditions hold up journeys and cause

congestion on busy routes, especially at peak

times. To solve this problem,the EU has introduced

legislation that paves the way for a fully interoper-

able electronic toll payment system. By harnessing

recent advances in satellite tracking technology,

mobile positioning and electronic payment sys-

tems, it is now possible to equip vehicles with sys-

tems that record journeys through toll booths. The

driver therefore does not have to stop and can

receive a single bill at the end of their journey.

The EU has laid down rules for the introduction of

electronic toll systems that must use interoperable

technologies from 1 January 2007. In time,this will

build into a network of interoperable toll booths,

which, when paired with the on-board recording

units, will make it much easier to travel via Europes

fee-charging motorways, bridges and tunnels.



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oad transport between the EU and non-EU

countries (third countries) is still largely

based on bilateral arrangements between

EU Member States and the third countries.

Nevertheless, the EU has reached agreements with a

number of non-Member States on road transport

issues that take precedence over those bilateral

arrangements. For example, the agreement on the

European Economic Area (EEA) provides that Iceland,

Norway and Liechtenstein apply the Unions road

transport rules in the same fashion as the Member

States. Similarly, on the basis of the agreement

between the EU and Switzerland on transport of

goods and passengers by road and rail, Switzerland

applies equivalent rules as the EU and the EEA coun-

tries in the field of land transport.

Easing the Alpine crossing

Some of the EUs most important international road

transport flows go over the Alps, not only through EU

members France, Germany, Italy, Austria and Slovenia

but also through Switzerland. The limited numbers of

transit routes through the Alps (roads, tunnels and

mountain passes) carry large amounts of freight traffic

in both directions, as the map below highlights. This

puts a strain on both the infrastructure and the fragile

Alpine ecosystem.

All the countries which make up the Alpine region,

together with the European Community, are party to

the Alpine Convention, which aims to safeguard the

Alpine ecosystem and promote sustainable develop-

ment within the region.In particular, the transport pro-

tocol to the Convention encourages the parties to

invest in new, more environmentally friendly transport

infrastructure, notably new tunnels. In this way,

transalpine freight traffic can be transferred to rail and

even short-sea shipping, reducing the environmentalburden on the fragile, high-altitude ecosystem.

Furthermore, the EU has introduced and is further

developing a harmonised charging system for road

freight journeys, following the polluter paysprinciple,

whereby journeys are charged according to the envi-

ronmental damage they cause. Under the EU/

Switzerland land transport agreement,similar rules are

applied for truck journeys across the whole Alpine

range. This ensures that traffic is spread more evenly

over all the crossings on the mountain range, reducing

congestion and mitigating environmental damage.

1110

INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS

R


Bern

Milano

Torino

Trieste

Zrich

Gotth

a

rd(925)

Mont-Blanc(326)

Gr.S

t-Bern

ard(6

3)

SanB

erna

rdin

o(150)

Simplon(65)

Ventim

iglia(1

184)

Montgenvre (36)

Brenner(1

988

)

Mnchen

Innsbruck

Ljubjana Lyon

Zagreb

Mt-Cenis/Frjus(1073)

0 1000 20001500500

Wien

Wechsel(956)

Tauern

(993

)

Schoberpass(1

235)

Semmering(590)

Number of trucks on main Alpine crossing points in 2005

pass / tunnel

Number of trucks in 2005 (x1 000)



14/16

From Russia with goodsThe EUs borders have spread east in recent years

thanks to the enlargement process, and trade with

Russia has grown greatly since the fall of the Soviet

Union. It should also be noted that 50 % of EU exports

to Russia now travel by road, and trade by land trans-

port, both road and rail, between the parties is set to

grow by 11 % a year.

The EU and Russia established a transport dialogue in

October 2005, with the aim of discussing improve-

ments of transport and infrastructure links and to

promote a better understanding of current and future

policies.

Interbus makingpassenger travel easier

The Interbus agreement between the EU and a num-

ber of its eastern and south-eastern European neigh-

bours has helped to liberalise access to the market for

certain services supplied by bus and coach operators.

It originally came into force in 2001, so many of the

original signatories are now EU Member States. The

EUs current co-signatories are Albania, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia, Moldova and Turkey. Interbus encom-

passes a number of social, financial and technical

measures that have helped to harmonise and simplify

rules under which coach and bus operators work.



15/16

Main legal references

Basic principlesAdmission to the occupation

Directive 96/26/EC (OJ L 124,23.5.1996, pp. 110), as amended by Directive 98/76/EC (OJ L 277,

14.10.1998, pp. 1725)

Road haulage

Community authorisation: Regulation (EEC) No 881/92 (OJ L 95, 9.4.1992,pp. 17)

Cabotage:Regulation (EEC) No 3118/93 (OJ L 279, 12.11.1993, pp. 116)

Driver attestation: Regulation (EC) 484/2002 amending Regulations (EEC) No 881/92 and

(EEC) No 3118/93 (OJ L 76, 19.3.2002, pp. 16)

Hired vehicles:Directive 2006/1/EC (OJ L 33, 4.2.2006, pp. 8285)

Passenger transport Community authorisation: Regulation (EEC) No 684/92 (OJ L 74, 20.3.1992, pp. 19), as amended by

Regulation (EC) No 11/98 (OJ L 4, 8.1.1998, pp. 19)

Cabotage:Regulation (EC) No 12/98 (OJ L 4,8.1.1998, pp.1014)

Safety and social aspectsDriving time, working hours and rest periods

Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 (OJ L 102, 11.4.2006, pp. 114),

Directive 2002/15/EC (OJ L 80, 23.3.2002, pp. 3539)

Standards and checks

Tachograph: Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 (OJ L 370, 31.12.1985, pp. 821), modified by Regulation (EC)No 2135/98 (OJ L 274, 9.10.1998, pp. 121) and Regulation (EC) No 1360/2002 (OJ L 207, 5.8.2002,

pp. 1252), and at the latest by Regulation (EC) No 561/2006

Directive 2006/22/EC (OJ L102, 11.4.2006, pp. 3544)

Driver training: Directive 2003/59/EC (OJ L 226, 10.9.2003, pp.417)

Taxes and chargesExcise duty

Excise duty on fuel: Directive 2003/96/EC (OJ L 283,31.10.2003,pp. 5170)

Eurovignette and tolls

Directive 99/62/EC as amended by Directive 2006/38/EC (OJ L 157,9.6.2006, pp. 823)

Interoperability of electronic tolls:2004/52/EC (OJ L166, 30.4.2004, pp. 124143)

Agreements with non-member countriesEC/Swiss Confederation agreement

Agreement on the carriage of goods and passengers by rail and road (OJ L114, 30.4.2002, pp. 91131)

Interbus agreement

Council Decision 2002/917/EC (OJ L 321, 26.11.2002, pp.1112)

To access these legal texts, see http://eur-lex.europa.eu/



16/16

Road transport is critical for Europe, for our economy, for our jobs and for our well-being. Regardless of how

much other modes of transport develop, including those perceived as more environmentally friendly, there will

always be a requirement for high-quality road freight and passenger transport services, whether stand-alone

or as part of a multimodal transport chain. The EU aims to create the conditions in which Europes road

transport market operates efficiently and safely, and the policies it is implementing are set out in this brochure.

http://.ec.europa.eu/transport/road/policy/index_en.htm

KO-76-06-370-EN-C


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EU Road Transport Policy