The UK Government have confirmed that hauliers based in Northern Ireland will not need to apply for an ECMT permit to undertake journeys to the Republic of Ireland.
The Road Haulage Association has welcomed the announcement. In a statement, RHA Northern Ireland Policy Manager John Martin said:
“This is something we’ve been calling for given the NI Protocol permitted goods to travel freely across the border, yet the vehicles carrying them would have seen considerable restrictions if they needed ECMT permits. It’s not clear how this will affect cabotage provisions for Northern Irish hauliers in the Irish Republic but we will seek clarity.”
However, in the event of a ‚no-deal’ scenario, the ECMT permits will be necessary for British hauliers operating in the EU, as the Department for Transport warns:
Road haulage operators must therefore get ready for the possibility that no agreement is secured. We will be considering contingency measures but as a fall back, we are opening the ECMT permit system for applications to ensure haulage operators have the chance to consider if they wish to apply for permits. We do not intend to rely on ECMT permits, however they will allow continued access for some international transport to and from EU markets in all circumstances.
It is possible to apply for an ECMT permit between November 2nd and 22nd. If you are unsure how to obtain one, please refer to our detailed, step-by-step guide.
Photo credit: Eric Jones / geograph.ie