The EU pushes for the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road
The First reading of this Commission’s proposal on the Directive was adopted today in Plenary. The use of hired vehicles is of great importance for Europe as it leads to:
· A reduction in operating costs of EU hauliers by a total of EUR 158 million in 2030;
· A total annual economic benefit of around EUR 240 million in 2030 for the vehicle rental/leasing sector;
· The creation of almost 5 000 additional jobs (2 900 in the vehicle rental/leasing sector and 1 700 in the road haulage business); and last but not least
· The promotion of the use of safer, cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Our ALDE Shadow rapporteur, Matthijs Van Miltenburg managed to ensure solid grounds for negotiations, particularly by providing the guidelines for re-shaping the legal framework for the use of hired vehicles. Concerning enforcement measures, he underlined the need for timely exchange of information. Additionally, he pleaded for the removal of the unnecessary restrictions in order to improve the functioning of the internal market, increasing the productivity and the flexibility of operators.
On this file, Mr. Van Miltenburg said:
“Further liberalisation of the European market on hired vehicles will bring us substantial benefits. It is important for us to ensure and promote a level playing field and fair competition between European companies, using very often newer, safer and cleaner vehicles in this sector. Today’s vote is a step forward in the right direction!”
More info: david.vidal@europarl.europa.eu
