The European Commission has managed the seemingly impossible and made the rules surrounding cabotage more complicated, despite claiming it was simplifying the legislation.
The new definition - which proposes that cabotage will be authorised if it follows on from the international transport operation and is limited to no more than three operations within seven days - has provoked anger from the Road Haulage Association which says the new wording is "unwelcome and ambiguous". The Freight
Transport Association says it would prefer the insertion of the UK definition of cabotage as "adhoc, casual and circumstantial".
The Department for Transport says it is working with trade associations on the proposals' impact. A spokesman says: "The key to the proposals is the 'only after an international journey' stipulation. This reinforces the view that cabotage is about efficiency in the supply chain. There must be a loaded international journey before cabotage can start - that is not required under current rules."
The EC adopted this and two others proposals last week to modernise rules of admission to the road transport occupation and access to the road transport market. The other proposals provide for compulsory training for transport managers and mechanisms for imposing sanctions across the national borders. The legislative package will be examined by the European Parliament and the Council.
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