On the handling of heavy goods vehicles at border crossing points based on Petition 0146/2023
B-9-2024-0201
on behalf of the Committee on Petitions · Rapporteur: Dolors Montserrat
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
Parliament's resolution on the handling of heavy goods vehicles at border crossing points responds to Petition 0146/2023. It calls for binding EU rules setting an average of one minute to process goods vehicles at intra-EU borders, and for full Schengen accession for Bulgaria and Romania, including land borders, by mid-2024.¶¶¶ It asks the Commission to monitor compliance and impose penalties, to fund driver training, and to let drivers use smaller crossings when main arteries close. It urges member states to cooperate against theft from goods vehicles.¶¶¶
Key points
- Calls on Parliament, the Council and the Commission to focus on measures ensuring smooth border crossings for freight when developing EU policies such as the trans-European transport network.¶
- Calls on the Commission, after an impact assessment, to propose binding measures creating an EU-wide standard of an average of one minute for processing heavy goods vehicles at intra-EU border crossing points.¶
- Stresses that the Council's decision of 30 December 2023 only partially addresses single market distortion, and urges the Belgian Presidency and Council members to decide on full application of the Schengen acquis to Romania and Bulgaria by mid-2024.¶
- Requests that the Commission guarantee compliance and monitoring of the measures, including through penalties, and underlines the need for adequate EU funding and technical support.¶
- Calls on the Commission and member states to allow truck drivers to use smaller border crossings when main arteries are closed for road maintenance.¶
- Calls on the Commission, with member states and stakeholders, to address the shortage of professional drivers by financing training and qualifications and fostering partnerships between vocational schools and transport companies.¶
- Calls on member states to step up cross-border cooperation on theft from goods vehicles.¶
Who is affected
- Road hauliers and goods vehicle drivers, who face long waits, health risks and costs at borders.¶¶¶
- Romania and Bulgaria, which await a Council decision on removing checks at internal land borders.¶¶
- The Commission, which is asked to propose legislation, monitor compliance and fund driver training.¶¶¶
- Member states, which are asked to cooperate against theft and allow use of smaller crossings.¶¶
Figures and deadlines
Legal basis: Articles 26, 28-37, 67(1) and (2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union¶