Ordinary legislative procedure (COD): Parliament and the Council decide together as equals. Ordinary legislative procedure First reading
Amending Council Directive 96/53/EC laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic
A proposed EU law. Parliament and the Council must agree on the same text: Parliament adopts its position, then negotiates with the Council.
Where it stands: Parliament adopted its position on 12 March 2024. Negotiations with the Council on a common text are under way (last trilogue 11 June 2026).
- ✓ Referred to committee 14 September 2023
- ✓ Committee work Report adopted 14 February 2024
- ✓ Tabled for plenary 21 February 2024
- ✓ Plenary vote Adopted 12 March 2024
- 5 Negotiations with the Council Trilogue 11 June 2026
- 6 Published as law
How a file moves through Parliament
A file is referred to one lead committee (others may give an opinion). Its rapporteur writes a draft report, committee members table amendments, and the committee votes to adopt the report. The report is then tabled for all MEPs; political groups can table further amendments, which are voted on before the final vote in plenary. For a law, Parliament’s adopted text is its first-reading position; Parliament and the Council then negotiate a common text (trilogues) which both must approve before it is published as law.
Who is working on it
- Lead committee
- TRAN — Transport and Tourism
- Rapporteurs
- MEP #197742 S&DRosa SERRANO SIERRA S&D
- Shadow rapporteurs
- Markus FERBER PPEElsi KATAINEN RenewMEP #197654 Verts/ALEKosma ZŁOTOWSKI ECRMEP #124996 ECRJan-Christoph OETJEN RenewLena SCHILLING Verts/ALEMerja KYLLÖNEN The LeftKateřina KONEČNÁ The Left
- For opinion
- ENVI — Environment, Climate and Food Safety IMCO — Internal Market and Consumer Protection
The rapporteur drafts and negotiates the text for the lead committee; each other political group names a shadow rapporteur to follow the file.
The text, version by version
Adopted by Parliament · latest Adopted text TA9-0126/2024 12 March 2024 ✦ Parliament's amended version of a proposed directive amending Directive 96/53/EC on maximum weights and dimensions of road vehicles. It updates rules on cross-border heavier lorries, European Modular Systems, indivisible loads, zero-emission vehicle allowances, enforcement and reporting.⇄ what changed Tabled for plenary Report A9-0047/2024 21 February 2024 ✦ Parliament's amended version of the Commission proposal to amend Directive 96/53/EC on maximum weights and dimensions of road vehicles. It adds rules on European Modular Systems, permits for indivisible loads, zero-emission vehicle length and weight, a single EU length label, and enforcement.⇄ what changed Committee draft Draft report (TRAN) 20 October 2023 ✦ This is the rapporteur's draft report on the Commission proposal to amend Directive 96/53/EC on maximum weights and dimensions of road vehicles. It supports the proposal and proposes amendments on European Modular Systems, zero-emission vehicles, enforcement, driver qualifications and a single EU length label.
Newest version first. Open a version to read it in full. “What changed” shows the differences paragraph by paragraph; ✦ lines are AI-written from the texts themselves.
Timeline
- Negotiations with the Council
- 11 June 2026 Trilogue meeting
Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.
- 9 December 2025 Trilogue meeting
Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.
- Plenary stage
- 12 March 2024 Plenary voteAdopted Adopted by a clear majorityFor 330 Against 207 Abstained 74
Final vote at 13:24 · 54% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →
Show all 29 ballots in voting order
1. Amendments by the committee responsible — put to the vote collectively Amendments by the committee responsible – put to the vote collectivelyAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded2. Amendments by the committee responsible — separate vote Amendments by the committee responsible – separate voteAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded3. Amendments by the committee responsible — separate vote Amendments by the committee responsible – separate voteAdoptedelectronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded4. Amendments by the committee responsible — separate vote Amendments by the committee responsible – separate voteAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded5. Amendments by the committee responsible — separate vote Amendments by the committee responsible – separate voteAdoptedelectronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded6. Amendments by the committee responsible — separate vote Amendments by the committee responsible – separate voteAdoptedelectronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded7. Amendments by the committee responsible — separate vote Amendments by the committee responsible – separate voteAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded8. Amendments by the committee responsible — separate vote Amendments by the committee responsible – separate voteAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded9. Amendments by the committee responsible — separate vote Amendments by the committee responsible – separate voteAdoptedelectronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded10. Amendment 62 to Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point b; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4, subparagraph 2, point b 13:20 A9-0047/2024 – Isabel García Muñoz – Article 1, § 1, point 3, point b; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4, sub§ 2, point b – Am 62Rejected11. Amendment 63 to Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point c; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4a, subparagraph 1 13:20 A9-0047/2024 – Isabel García Muñoz – Article 1, § 1, point 3, point c; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4a, sub§ 1 – Am 63DRejected12. Amendment 52 to Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point c; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4a, subparagraph 1, introductory part 13:21 A9-0047/2024 – Isabel García Muñoz – Article 1, § 1, point 3, point c; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4a, sub§ 1, introductory part – Am 52Rejected13. Separate vote on Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point c Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4 a, subparagraph 1, remainderAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded14. Separate vote on Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point c Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4 a, subparagraph 1, point cRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded15. Amendment 54 to Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point c; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4a, paragraph 1, after point d 13:21 A9-0047/2024 – Isabel García Muñoz – Article 1, § 1, point 3, point c; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4a, § 1, after point d – Am 54Rejected16. Separate vote on Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point c Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4 a, subparagraph 1, after point dRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded17. Amendment 56 to Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point c; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4a, subparagraph 2 13:22 A9-0047/2024 – Isabel García Muñoz – Article 1, § 1, point 3, point c; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4a, sub§ 2 – Am 56DRejected18. Separate vote on Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point c Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 4 a, subparagraph 3AdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded19. Separate vote on Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point d Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 5, subparagraph 1Adoptedelectronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recordedNot put to a vote, because an earlier vote already settled the matter.21. Separate vote on Article 1, paragraph 1, point 3, point d Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4, paragraph 5, subparagraph 1RejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded22. Amendments 58 + 65 (voted as one) to Article 1, paragraph 1, point 4; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4 b 13:23 A9-0047/2024 – Isabel García Muñoz – Article 1, § 1, point 4; Directive 96/53/EC; Article 4 b – Am 58D= 65D=Rejected23. Separate vote on AnnexAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded24. Separate vote on AnnexAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded25. Separate vote on AnnexNot put to a vote, because an earlier vote already settled the matter.A vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recordedRejected27. Separate vote on recital 9AdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded28. Vote on text inserted after recital 19RejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recordedAdopted - 21 February 2024 Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
- Committee stage
- 14 February 2024 Committee vote: report adopted
TRAN (Transport and Tourism) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
- 30 November 2023 Amendments tabled in committee
Members of TRAN (Transport and Tourism) proposed changes to the draft.
- 20 October 2023 Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in TRAN (Transport and Tourism). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
- 14 September 2023 Referred to the TRAN (Transport and Tourism) committee
The lead committee prepares the report; ENVI (Environment, Climate and Food Safety), IMCO (Internal Market and Consumer Protection) give an opinion.