Post Brexit – EU – UK Trade Agreement for transport sector

Discover in our article the summary for the shifting of transport companies between the UE & the UK

After intensive negotiations, the European Commission has reached an agreement with the United Kingdom on 25 December 2020. The parties agreed on many terms of its future cooperation. 

On transport, the agreement provides freedom for full transit rights (e.g., the right for Irish hauliers to cross the UK to reach the rest of the EU), without any specific’s authorizations; an EU license is sufficient. Two cabotage operations are allowed within seven days of the first unloading. (of which maximum 1 cabotage operation for UK hauliers). A certified copy of the licence shall be kept on board the vehicle and shall be presented at the request of any inspection. 

Meanwhile, transport companies and drivers should comply with rules on driving time and working time, rest period, breaks and use record sheets tachograph. As for the posting rules for UK companies, since after Brexit UK has become an extra-EU Country, national posting laws in France, Germany and Italy (Macron, Milog or Distacco) continue to apply like usual as these laws’ notification obligations also apply to extra-EU transport companies. For the Netherlands and Austria (WagwEU and LSDB laws), notification obligations do not apply anymore as specific bilateral agreement apply now to the UK as all other extra-EU Countries.

In summary: 

EU transport company can work as now except for the following changes: 

  • Only 2 cabotages operations may be undertaken by EU hauliers in the UK territory, after loaded trip. 
  • Combined transport operations rule no longer apply; EU company can no longer undertake combined transport operations in the UK. 
  • Community License is still valid and needed for EU road hauliers going to UK 

UK Road hauliers / UK operators are able to work: 

  • Carry goods to or from the UK and any EU Member country 
  • Carry goods to and from the UK and any 3-country transiting through any EU country
  • Carry goods to and from any part of the UK transiting through any EU country 
  • Carry out 1 cabotage operations after loaded trip into an EU state from the UK, 
  • Carry out up to 2 cross – trade trips between 2 EU States, or 1 cabotage and 1 cross – trade after a loaded trip into an EU country from the UK. 
  • The community License expires for UK transport company, it is replaced by the UK License for the Community and works in the same way. 

We invite you to visit our Brexit page for more details. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need more information! 

Move Forward together with Move Expert. 

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