Elizabeth Borne, the French Minister for Transport, during a meeting with her German counterpart expressed the common position of both countries regarding the current version of the Mobility Package. She unequivocally stated that, as it stands, regulations are unacceptable for France because they would make economic and social dumping easy for road carriers from Central and Eastern Europe.
The meeting of transport ministers from France and Germany took place in Paris last Friday. Both countries explicitly reject the current version of the Mobility Package, claiming that it does not meet the basic assumptions of equal work and equal pay in the territory of a given member state, reported Frech weekly Le Point, citing the French Press Agency. Minister Borne added that the package in its current form does not guarantee fair competition and favors carriers from Central and Eastern Europe. Borne also criticized the regulations regarding drivers’ working time and rest, calling them unacceptable.
We see with Germany that we are far from reaching a consensus. There is no way to chaotically decide on rules that will be in force for at least a decade and will constitute EU law” – said the French minister.
– European regulations must fight much more effectively with economic and social dumping – emphasized Elizabeth Borne during a press conference.
The French want to make life difficult for carriers from the East
The Minister also pointed out that regulations on posted workers should also include transport. In the case of drivers coming from another country, France and Germany are of the opinion that they should be treated as posted workers from the first day of work in a given territory and therefore apply for the status of „posted worker.” In the current version, the Mobility Package assumes that this requirement applies from the third day of stay in the territory of another country. Most Central and Eastern European countries, including Poland, Bulgaria, and Hungary, oppose the application of this regulation to drivers sent abroad.
Unofficial diplomatic sources indicate that the next date of talks on the Mobility Package is expected in autumn this year when Austria will preside the European Union.
Photo: Twitter/Elisabeth_Borne