The CJEU has ruled on the cases for annulment of part of the provisions of Mobility Package 1, which were brought on 23 October 2020 by Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Malta and Cyprus, with Estonia and Latvia joining as assisting parties.
Bulgaria made every effort to completely delete the text on the return of the vehicle every 8 weeks to the country of establishment. With today's decision of the CJEU, this is now a fact.
The Bulgarian side and like-minded countries have repeatedly presented and argued the position that the return of vehicles leads to an increase in the number of empty journeys and an unjustified increase in emissions, which is contrary to the objectives set out in the Green Deal. A study by KPMG showed that the mandatory return of trucks would lead to a 0.8% increase in harmful emissions from the Bulgarian fleet alone, daily traffic at the borders would double, with a consequent average transit time of 33 hours per truck.
European legislation should allow heavy road transport to adapt to environmental sustainability targets. The repeal of the disproportionate provision on vehicle return is a step in the right direction, which will reduce the number of empty journeys, and therefore the level of harmful CO 2 emissions.
The Bulgarian side is aware that Mobility Package 1 is a complex legislative package, ensuring a balance between respecting the basic principles of the functioning of the Single Internal Market and improving drivers' working conditions.
In this respect, the Bulgarian side welcomes the legal clarity and certainty provided on the provision of driver return every 4 weeks to the country of residence, whereby drivers will have the right to choose the place to take their weekly break and employers will be obliged to organise the work process in a way that allows return to the country of establishment.
Bulgaria will continue to work towards improving drivers' working conditions and ensuring non-discriminatory and proportionate rules for the provision of freight transport services in the EU. | BGNES
