IRU is working closely with its members and the European Commission to bring more clarity to new MP1 posting rules for bus and coach drivers across the EU.
The European Union’s Mobility Package is the largest collection of acts covering key social aspects of the road transport industry. It includes rules relating to posting of drivers, driving and rest time, tachographs, access to the profession and market access for commercial road transport operators.
Mobility Package rules relating to the posting of drivers came into effect in February this year. Operators and enforcement agencies now need to distinguish between the types of transport operations to which rules on posting should apply and those to which posting rules should not apply.
Commercial passenger road transport services, and drivers’ working patterns, cover a wide range of scenarios, from short, middle and long distance scheduled services to different types of tourism coach services.
IRU’s objective is to ensure a harmonised and coordinated implementation of the posting rules across the EU. Clear guidance from the European Commission is essential for all stakeholders involved – including drivers, operators and enforcers – for the successful implementation and enforcement of the new rules.
With the support of its members, IRU developed detailed passenger transport related scenarios as the basis for a proposal to the European Commission. A substantial part of this work has been put into the European Commission’s current official draft proposal.
IRU participated in the European Commission Expert Group on Posting of Drivers (PDEG) on 29 April, where the posting of drivers in the context of transport of passengers was discussed. The work will continue with another PDEG meeting to be organised by the Commission on 30 May.