CLECAT — 2024-03-08
News from Brussels
In anticipation of the Plenary vote on the revision of the Weights & Dimensions Directive which will take place on 12 March 2024, CLECAT issued voting recommendations reflecting its position according the amendments tabled for the Plenary vote.
CLECAT has repeatedly highlighted that the Commission proposal allowing cross-border operations between consenting Member States is a great step forward in maximising road transport efficiency. We would like to remind Members of the European Parliament that EMS trucks do not compete with other mode of transport such as rail transport. Evidence from logistics operators that have made use of EMS suggests that such vehicles have not substituted rail or inland waterway travel, but rather led to the replacement of conventional 40-tonne trucks.
In addition, no robust evidence of reverse modal shift or increased road safety risks for the use of EMS vehicles has been found in the Commission’s impact assessment or scientific literature. CLECAT stresses that setting unnecessary barriers to the deployment of EMS combinations would hamper logistics service providers’ efforts to optimise the efficiency of their road transport operations.
CLECAT welcomed the proposed new article 4b allowing the use of 44-tonne HDVs running on fossil fuels in international road-only operations between Member States that accept such heavier vehicles in national operations. This provision removes artificial barriers to the cross-border movement of heavier trucks, which led to an increased number of vehicles on the road and increased emissions, such as between France and Belgium for example. However, the provision should not be limited in time for conventional vehicles, as there are still uncertainties regarding the on time deployment of zero-emission vehicles and corresponding infrastructure.
We therefore call on Members of the European Parliament to carefully consider CLECAT’s voting recommendations and trust they will vote for the pragmatic and proven solutions which will help improve the efficiency of road freight transport.