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Tag: International Road Transport Union

Young truck drivers get EU green light

The European Parliament has give final approval to new regulations that will modernise the EU’s licensing regime and will allow 18-year-olds to drive trucks and 21-year-olds to drive buses, if they hold a full driving licence and Certificate of Professional Competence. The new regulations agreed between EU institutions earlier this...

Stakeholders warn against disruptive zero-emission truck mandates

Four leading European associations representing the road transport, freight forwarding, shipper and cold chain sectors have jointly called on the European Commission to avoid introducing mandatory zero-emission truck demand targets, warning that such measures risk disrupting Europe’s green transition if enabling conditions are not yet in place. In a joint...

Balanced implementation needed as EU updates road charging directive

The European Commission has unveiled a new proposal on EU tolling rules but underlines that fair and balanced implementation is vital to ensure decarbonisation goals do not come at the expense of road transport operators’ competitiveness and Europe’s supply chains. The European Commission has presented an amended proposal to refine...

IRU calls for urgent revision of Weights and Dimensions Directive

The International Road Transport Union (IRU) is calling for an urgent revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive. The European Commission’s proposal to revise EU rules on heavy-duty vehicle weights and dimensions is a pragmatic tool to achieve immediate decarbonisation results, according to the IRU. However, delays in Council discussions...

IRU focuses on upcoming regulatory revolution for EU vans

From 1 July 2026, the EU’s light freight commercial vehicles (LCVs), weighing between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes, engaged in cross-border EU services will face a regulatory revolution. Complex EU transport rules, once reserved for heavy-duty trucks, will now apply to them, too. With a dedicated workshop, the International Road Transport...

EU Council vehicle dimension negotiations key to green efficient transport

The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has urged swift agreement on the European Council’s general approach to the revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive. The European Commission’s proposal to revise EU rules on heavy-duty vehicle weights and dimensions is a pragmatic tool to achieve immediate decarbonisation results, according to...

IRU calls for EU-wide grace period for new customs entry rules

The International Road Transport Union (IRU) is calling for a six-month EU-wide enforcement grace period for the EU’s new customs import control system for goods moved by road (ICS2 release 3), warning of major disruptions at external land borders from 1 September 2025. Road transport operators must file an Entry...

Proposal to extend toll exemptions welcomed

The European Commission’s proposal to extend toll exemptions for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles is a welcome step but broader Eurovignette reforms are still urgently needed, according to the International Road Transport Union (IRU) The IRU has welcomed the European Commission’s proposal to extend toll exemptions for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, including trucks...

Decarbonising EU road transport: solutions for 2030 and beyond

Road transport operators are beginning to invest in new vehicles. But for the decarbonisation transition to succeed, the sector needs clear, coordinated support, according to the International Road Transport Union (IRU). EU policymakers and road transport industry leaders came together to debate practical and scalable solutions to deliver environmental and...

Transport legislators endorse EU driving licence reform

Reform of the EU driving license has been endorsed by EU legislators, paving the way for actiion to address driver shortages and promote the digitalisation of driving licences while upholding high road safety standards. Endorsement of the EU Driving Licence Directive marks a key milestone for several sector priorities, including...

Truck driver reports shows widening chasm between young and older drivers

The International Road Transport Union’s (IRU) latest global truck driver shortage report is out and it shows that while unfilled positions in 2024 were similar to 2023 due to easing transport demand, there’s a widening age chasm between young and older driver employment rates. But salaries and job satisfaction remain...

Transport sector urges EU to safeguard funding

The International Road transport Union (IRU) and industry partners have signed an open letter urging EU Member States and the European Commission to preserve and strengthen dedicated European transport funding in the next EU budget. The call comes as discussions intensify on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework review, which will...

Missed opportunity could harm EU automotive sector strategy

The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has missed a major opportunity by not including commercial road transport operators in its Strategic Dialogue on the Automotive Industry, which was launched in Brussels this week.

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Member States reach consensus on grace period for tachograph retrofitting

The International Road transport Union (IRU) has welcomed news that the EU has introduced a two-month grace period for upcoming tachograph retrofitting deadline. This provides critical support operators urgently need.

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IRU raises concerns over Greening of Corporate Fleets proposal

The International Road Transport Union (IRU), together with the Network for Sustainable Mobility, has raised serious concerns about the European Commission’s announced “Greening of Corporate Fleets” proposal.

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