Driving and rest time periods, working time and posting of workers

Key points:

• The EESC recognises the important role of transport as a driver of the EU economy and supports the European Commission (EC) in its ambitions to ensure that the EU remains in a leading position in clean, competitive and connected mobility in the future.
• The EESC welcomes the fact that the EC is taking the initiative to clarify the regulatory framework on road transport and to ensure better enforcement and closer cooperation between Member States.
• However, the EESC is of the opinion that the proposed changes to legislation on driving times and rest periods and on the posting of drivers fail to effectively address the identified problems in road transport in several aspects, including not making the rules simpler, clearer and more enforceable.
• The EESC points out that the only way to achieve the EC agenda for a socially fair transition towards clean, competitive and connected mobility for all is to safeguard social rights, to ensure both enforcement and enforceability of rules and to guarantee fair competition while reducing burdensome procedures.
• The EESC regrets the fact that, particularly when it comes to bus and coach passenger transport, the proposed changes come without any thorough assessment of passenger, driver or road safety. The EESC would therefore welcome an EU-wide general study on driver fatigue and regrets that the EC has not offered solutions for how to address this problem.