The European Parliament is tackling the fraud and abuses in the truck sector. The European Parliament believes that the exploitation of drivers and cheating in the truck sector must be over. That is why measures will be taken against the many abuses in the road transport industry. Truckers, but also the transport companies themselves, should eventually be better off. A level playing field must be created, in which better rest periods, more enforcement and good working conditions form the basis.

On Monday, the European Parliament's transport committee approved a package of measures to improve the position of truck drivers. There have been many abuses in their sector for years. Long driving days, short rest periods and poor working conditions result in the exploitation of truckers from Central and Eastern Europe in particular. Many are almost always working and hardly see their family. The new rules guarantee better rest times for the drivers and make it possible to spend more time at home.

Transport companies must ensure that drivers who drive between countries can go home at intervals. They are then at home every three or four weeks, depending on the work schedule. Truckers are already required to rest at the end of a week. Usually this happens in the cabin of their car, but that is no longer allowed in the future. If drivers have to rest on the way, the company must pay the overnight costs in, for example, a hotel or guest house.

In addition, for example, Eastern European truck drivers are seconded to a company from a Western European member state. Some of these companies take advantage of the lower working conditions in the Member State where the drivers come from. The European Parliament is therefore introducing European rules for hiring truckers. Parliament also wants to ensure that they now receive fair remuneration and that they are no longer exploited. These measures make the working conditions of Eastern European drivers the same as those of their Dutch colleagues in the truck sector.

At the same time, the aim is to tackle fraud in the road transport sector and to create fair competition. From now on, it will be counted how often trucks cross the border to prevent fiddling with the rules. Companies engaged in inland transport in another Member State are still allowed to take up to three jobs in seven days. And because vans are increasingly being used for international transport, they will soon also be subject to EU rules for road transporters. Buses, vans and other smaller vehicles will also be counted at the border.

The Limburg member of the European Parliament Vera Tax (PvdA) is satisfied with the new measures and is happy that fair rules are now being created for all truckers in the truck sector. 

“With this package, we are putting an end to unfair competition between Dutch and Eastern European truck drivers. The working conditions will be decent and fair, so that drivers can again be colleagues instead of competitors, ”said Vera Tax.

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