The Council of the EU on Tuesday, 25<sup>th</sup> April, adopted a new emissions trading system for road transport (ETS II). The system will apply to road transport fuel suppliers starting 2027 unless oil and gas prices are exceptionally high. IRU welcomes the later date in the text but thinks it is still too early.

2027 still too early for new emissions trading system in road transport, says IRU

The European Commission has approved a €60.7 million Romanian scheme to support haulage and bus companies in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

EU approves Romania’s €60.7m scheme to support road transport sector

The European Commission has agreed on the final text of the EU-Ukraine Special Agreement on the Liberalisation of Road Transport. The text of the agreement provides for the performance of bilateral and transit traffic by Ukrainian carriers without permits. The signing of the document is scheduled for the end of June.

Ukraine and the EU reach agreement on liberalisation of road transport

The Berto Group has taken over Vincent Logistics, the latter party announced today on its website. Vincent Logistics said it had agreed to the deal “in order to secure its future and position itself favourably to meet the challenges ahead".

France’s Berto Group acquires Dutch firm Vincent Logistics

A CDU/CSU parliamentary group has asked for more information on the German Federal Government's plan to alleviate the shortage of HGV parking spaces via the use of so-called ‘convoy parking'.

German Parliamentary group inquires about HGV ‘convoy parking’ plan

The UK Government is currently consulting with businesses on the question of whether to continue its controversial cabotage relaxation, which allows foreign hauliers to conduct <a href="https://www.trans.info/en/uk-government-says-it-is-set-to-allow-unlimited-cabotage-within-a-2-week-period-258544" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unlimited domestic transportations in Britain over a 14-day period</a>. As part of the the consultation, the Department for Transport has released <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1059077/road-transport-cabotage-consultation-further-flexibilities-during-2022-for-foreign-hauliers.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a fascinating document</a> with data on how the existing cabotage relaxation has impacted transport movements, road safety and driver wages in the UK. 

What new DfT data says about impact of cabotage in the UK

Haulage associations from Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Croatia have written to the EU Commissioner of Transport to call for the “urgent need to revise the return home of trucks requirement" in order to “avoid proved negative effects on the functioning of the EU road transport market, as well as on the ambitious EU Green Deal and Fit for 55 goals."

CEE haulage associations call for key Mobility Package obligation to be scrapped

Last week, it emerged Lithuanian Haulage giant Girteka Logistics shall appear in a Norwegian district court this spring to defend itself over eleven alleged cases of illegal cabotage. A representative of Girteka has since told a Lithuanian press agency that the company feels “very positive" about the case.

Girteka confident of successful appeal in Norway cabotage case

Hegelmann has become the first transport and logistics company in Lithuania to win the “Top Employer Lietuva" certificate by the Top Employers Institute. The Lithuanian carriers trade union has nonetheless reacted to the news by writing “reality is often overshadowed by what is broadcasted to the public".

Hegelmann wins top employer award; “reality overshadowed,” says union

Over half of the lorries chosen by road traffic police for a full inspection were found to have defects or be guilty of road transport violations, <a href="https://lastebil.no/Aktuelt/Nyhetsarkiv/2022/Kontrollerte-naermere-80.000-tungbiler-i-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Norwegian Truck Owner's Association has revealed</a>.