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Adopted text

Handling of heavy goods vehicles at border crossing points

TA-9-2024-0223 · P9_TA(2024)0223 · PE758.769

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 26 Sept 2026

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Parliament's resolution on handling heavy goods vehicles at border crossing points, based on Petition 0146/2023, says queues and delays at EU internal borders harm drivers, road safety, haulage businesses, the single market and the environment. It asks the Commission to propose binding rules setting an EU-wide standard of an average of one minute for processing heavy goods vehicles at intra-EU border crossing points, after an impact assessment. It urges the Council to decide by no later than mid-2024 on the full application of the Schengen acquis to Romania and Bulgaria, including land borders. It also calls for EU funding and technical support, smaller border crossings when main arteries are closed, measures against the driver shortage, more cross-border cooperation on theft from goods vehicles, and more safe truck parking.

Key points

  1. Parliament, the Council and the Commission should focus on specific measures for smooth and efficient border crossings for freight transport in key EU policies such as the trans-European transport network.
  2. The Commission should, after an impact assessment, propose immediate and binding legislative measures creating an EU-wide standard of an average of one minute for processing heavy goods vehicles at intra-EU border crossing points.
  3. The Council's decision of 30 December 2023 to lift air and maritime border controls on Romania and Bulgaria only partially addresses the distortion of the single market; land border checks remain.
  4. The Belgian Presidency and all Members of the Council should adopt as quickly as possible, and by no later than mid-2024, a decision on the full application of the Schengen acquis in Romania and Bulgaria.
  5. The Commission should guarantee compliance and monitoring of the measures taken, including through penalties, and there is a need for adequate and sufficient EU funding and technical support.
  6. EU legislation should allow truck drivers to use smaller border crossings when main arteries are closed for road maintenance, to avoid dependence on arbitrary actions by individual countries.
  7. The Commission, with member states and stakeholders, should put forward concrete measures to address the shortage of professional drivers by financing (re)training and qualifications and fostering partnerships between vocational schools and transport companies.
  8. Member states should further step up their efforts to reinforce cross-border cooperation on theft from goods vehicles.
  9. Increased public and private financing of safe and secure truck parking areas is needed so drivers can take breaks in safety, and security tools such as dedicated mobile applications should be reinforced.

Who is affected

  • Road hauliers and logistics businesses: face delays, higher costs and disruption to freight delivery schedules.
  • Truck drivers: affected in health, working conditions and safety, including chronic pain, injury risks and theft.
  • Romania and Bulgaria: await a Council decision on removing checks at internal land borders.
  • Member states: called on to reinforce cross-border cooperation on theft from goods vehicles.
  • The Commission: asked to propose binding processing-time rules, monitor compliance and support driver training.

Figures and deadlines

  • an average of one minute for processing heavy goods vehicles at intra-EU border crossing points
  • by no later than mid-2024, for a Council decision on full application of the Schengen acquis in Romania and Bulgaria
  • 46 000 tonnes of CO2 emitted annually due to the persistence of internal border controls for Romania and Bulgaria
  • 30 December 2023, Council decision to welcome Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen area, starting with lifting controls at air and sea borders as of March 2024

Legal basis: Articles 26, 28-37, 67(1) and (2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)