The French Council of State has ratified a 40-ton limit on the cross-border transport between France and Belgium, and has thus broken the Belgian attempt to let 44-ton road freight travel from one country to the other, reports transportmedia.be.
At present, 13 countries of the European Union, including France and Belgium, allow 44 tons of cargo in freight transport vehicles at a national level and the European Union is looking into the possibility of harmonising such regulations throughout Europe.
The Belgian haulier and logistics union, UPTR, has long been fighting a battle to allow cross-border transport between France and Belgium with 44-tonne combinations. As this kind of transportation is allowed in both countries, this would have been a logical next step for the countries.
Now, UPTR and the Belgian federation of quarry operators, Fediex, are handing in an annulment appeal against a decree of 29 July 2021 on the weights and dimensions of land vehicles, because this decree amended the French road code to expressly prohibit cross-border transport of 44 tonnes and 5 axles.
Also, UPTR has high hopes that the aforementioned regulation will soon be revised in the context of the Green Deal and the “Fit for 55” scheme.