The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has called on European governments to mitigate the impact of the recession on the road transport industry.
IRU president Janusz Lacny says: "If road transport were to cease to exist, trade would come to a grinding halt.
"Governments do not recognise that road transport drives economic development."
He adds it is important that European policy focuses on facilitating road transport rather than penalising it with proposed increased tax burdens such as the Eurovignette.