The Romanian Union of Romanian Road Traffic Unions (UNTRR) scheduled today (11 January) a protest in front of the European Commission Representation in Bucharest to stop the adoption of the Mobility Package 1.
The protest coincides with the visit in Bucharest of the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Junker and of the College of Commissioners, for the official launching ceremony of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It aims to raise awareness of the decision makers in Bucharest and Brussels on the danger posed by the adoption of this new package of regulations that will close the Western European transport market for road hauliers in the East through “clear protectionist measures that are inadmissible in a free market” as the European Union self-characterizes, claims UNTRR, according to Agerpres.
The mobility package 1 was published by the European Commission on 31 May 2017 and includes important proposals for amending European legislation in the field of road transport, such as the proposal for a Special Law for the application of the Posting Directive no. 71/1996 on road transport; the proposal to revise Regulation 561/2006 on driving and rest times for professional drivers; the proposal to amend Regulation 1071/2009 on access to the profession and Regulation 1072/2009 on access to the road haulage market.
Following the approval of the European Parliament’s position, the Mobility Package 1 will enter the trialogue procedure for the positions of the three European Institutions – the European Parliament, the European Commission and the EU Transport Council to be harmonized before endorsement of the final text.
Carriers underline that the Mobility Package proposals have been made on the context of increased protectionism in the EU Member States, reunited in the Road Alliance, while the Romanian and Eastern European carriers will be most affected by the proposed measures, which will lead to a significant increase in the operating costs and restrictions on international road transport operated by them within the EU.