German unions are appealing to the European Parliament. Only cabotage should be included in the posting regulations

You can read this article in 3 minutes

The key industry transport associations adopt a common position in a letter to the plenary of the European Parliament. They want the rules on posting drivers to be limited only to cabotage.

The largest German organizations from various sectors – transport, trade, industry – call in a joint letter to the European Parliament plenary that the provisions on posting should not cover international transport, only cabotage operations. According to the unions (including DSLV, BWVL, BIEK, BDA, BDI, BGA and HDE), the use of provisions on posting in international transport would only be possible thanks to a stable legal framework regulating the obligations of documenting and displaying documents by transport companies and drivers.

Administrative barriers too large

It would be necessary to demonstrate to the minute hundreds of thousands of crossings per day and the number of hours spent by the driver in a given country in order to calculate remuneration in specific countries and regions. In cross-border road freight transport, creating additional administrative barriers, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, would constitute an undesirable restriction on market access. In addition, it would seriously hinder international trade in goods. Germany also points out that suitable technologies that would allow such records are not yet available.

Better enforcement of existing regulations will suffice

German organizations also raise the issue of „nomadism” on European roads in the letter. According to them, effective enforcement and unification of existing regulations would be enough to solve this problem. I am talking primarily about regulations regarding periods of work and rest. It is not according to the Germans necessary to strengthen the provisions on the protection of employees.

Editor’s comment:

The appeal of German unions from key sectors for the economy is confirmed by the words of the European MEP, Danuta Jazłowiecka. A large part of deputies from the Old Union countries have so far been convinced that the regulations pushed through in Brussels will not apply to Westerners, but only carriers from Central and Eastern Europe. German entrepreneurs have already „woken up”. Now is the time for politicians. 

posted workers directive

Photo: Flickr/Andrew Ross/CC BY 2.0

Tags