Promoting efficient, safe and green land transport
What does EU road transport policy want to achieve? Have a look at our web portal: "A Road Transport Strategy for Europe".
The aim of the European Union’s land transport policy is to promote mobility that is efficient, safe, secure and environmentally friendly.
The EU’s policy objectives for road transport are therefore to promote efficient road freight and passenger transport services, to create fair conditions for competition, to promote and harmonise safer and more environmentally friendly technical standards, to ensure a degree of fiscal and social harmonisation, and to guarantee that road transport rules are applied effectively and without discrimination.
The existing legislation applying to road transport services establishes common rules on access to the profession and to the market, sets minimal standards for working time, driving time and rest periods (including enforcement and the use of tachograph (devices) for professional road transport, and sets minimum annual vehicle taxes, as well as common rules for tolls and user charges for heavy goods vehicles. Moreover, it harmonises the maximum weights and dimensions of road vehicles. The Commission also promotes increasing the number of safe parking areas along the trans-European road network.
The most recent developments in the road transport market are described in the Road Freight Transport Vademecum (September 2011) and the most relevant statistics are available in the Transport PocketBook. In addition, the Commission adopted its Report on the State of the Union Road Transport Market (COM(2014)222) in April 2014.
Brexit
News
The European Commission welcomes the European Parliament and Council's final adoption of the Directive to strengthen cross-border enforcement of road traffic rules.
A Memorandum of Understanding on coordinated border checks at the Galați-Giurgiulești crossing between Romania and Moldova was signed today, paving the way for a faster transit of goods along the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes.
The Commission announced the winners of the 2024 Excellence in Road Safety Awards, organised by the European Road Safety Charter.
In 2023, 20,400 people lost their lives in road crashes across the EU, marking a 1% decrease from the previous year, with 46 road deaths per million inhabitants.
The EU and Ukraine decided today to prolong and update their current road transport Agreement. Implemented due to lost transport routes and export markets east of Ukraine caused by the Russian aggression, the agreement supports the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes.
The Commission today adopted a reasoned opinion in a procedure brought by Italy against Austria under Article 259 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Measures designed to help Member States, transport operators and workers continue transport operations and support the transport of refugees
