Implementation of EU Mobility Package’s lags far behind – the ETF starts its campaign for enforcement as of today.
Since its adoption in 2020, components of the Mobility Package have started coming into force, but implementation and enforcement lag behind.
The rules are a major win for professional drivers across and beyond the EU – taking significant steps towards improving working conditions and fair competition in the sector. But without proper enforcement, our hard-won rights will not go beyond guidance and recommendations.
On February 2, posting rules will start to apply – rules that will combat poor wage and working conditions; one of the main causes of driver shortage.
With our Campaign for Enforcement, the ETF Road Transport Section calls on Member States, operators and the European Commission to ensure that the new rules on posting are implemented effectively and without delay.
Marking the start of the campaign Roberto Parrillo, chair of the ETF Road Section issued this video statement:
https://twitter.com/ETF_Road/status/1485973945509728258
The ETF Road Section’s Full Statement:
In 2020, the European Parliament adopted the Mobility Package after years of intense negotiations. The ETF welcomed the much-awaited set of regulations which mark a massive reform on the road transport sector in Europe. We would like to emphasize that this is a major win for workers across and beyond the EU, and it is a substantive step towards social sustainability.
The mobility package has separate components which have different deadlines for transposition by the Member States. The new regulations on driving and rest time rules which ensure the health and safety of drivers have been in force since 20 August 2020. We have kept a close eye on transport firms to ensure efficient implementation of rules and to facilitate honest transition to a responsible business model.
However, the ETF is disappointed with the lack of implementation; enforcement activities in 2021 shows that almost 1 in 3 trucks violated regulations in road transport. Exacerbated by the pandemic and the supply chain crisis, infringements of social regulations in the road transport sector indicate that workers’ rights and safety are subordinate to market demands. Non-compliance with rules and regulations will only aggravate the driver shortage which is a result of worsening conditions in our sector. Furthermore, the number of road fatalities in 2019 reveal that heavy goods vehicles are the biggest cause of the death for car occupants which makes this issue a major threat to road safety. Combatting driver fatigue by way of improving working conditions is the only appropriate response to these findings.
The 2nd of February marks the date at which the next component of the Mobility Package comes into force. Posting is one of the key areas through which robust control and regulation can directly address key issues in road transport; such as wage dumping and unfair competition. With the protection provided by these mandatory conditions, bad players in road transport do not have an unfair advantage over firms conducting socially responsible operations. In an attempt to halt the race to the bottom across the sector, the new posting rules combat deteriorating wage and working conditions; one of the main causes of the crisis of driver shortage in recent years.
It is thus pointless to have new rules, if they fail to serve the sector, its workers, the road users and the passengers.
As the ETF Road Transport Section, we call on Member States, operators and the EC to ensure that the new rules on posting are implemented effectively and without delay. Without proper enforcement, our hard-won rights will not go beyond guidance and recommendation. Member States must step up and accelerate their efforts to oversee comprehensive implementation of the new posting rules. We demand strong enforcement for all of the regulations in the Mobility Package.
In light of this pressing issue, we announce the start of the ETF campaign on the enforcement of the Mobility Package. The campaign will coordinate actions and activities between the ETF, affiliates as well as other organizations and authorities to urge Member States to take action, harmonize measures of implementation, and defend the rights of drivers. We will be linking this campaign to the ELA Action Plan on Road Transport for 2022.