- Title: EU proposes new rules on road charges, time limits on truckers
- Date: 31st May 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - MARCH 23, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CARS DRIVING ON RING ROAD
- Embargoed: 14th June 2017 15:04
- Keywords: European Commission EU transportation proposals wages toll road charging carbon footprint car truck environment labour laws workers working hours drivers
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / PARIS, FRANCE / NICKELSDORF, AUSTRIA
- City: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / PARIS, FRANCE / NICKELSDORF, AUSTRIA
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: European Union,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016J668UF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The European Commission proposed new rules on Wednesday (May 31) for road charging systems across Europe, saying they must be based on distance to reflect the carbon footprint of cars and trucks.
The EU executive, whose proposal would still need backing by the 28 EU member states and the European Parliament, said it would not force any country to introduce a road toll, but said that those in operation would have to follow certain principles.
Countries would have to have a system based on the distance travelled, measured digitally on what the Commission hopes will be standardised on-board boxes.
Charges should be based on the CO2 emissions of vehicles.
The proposals are part of an overhaul of mobility and transport in Europe that will also include new rules limiting the number of days that foreign truck drivers can cross the bloc on lower wages, responding to pressure from richer EU countries.
Under the new rules, foreign drivers would be considered a "posted worker" - potentially meaning they would get at least the minimum wage of the country they were in - if they spent three days or more per month working away from home.
Under the commission's proposals, foreign truckers would also be allowed to carry out deliveries outside their home country for up to five days after they have made an international delivery. Currently, they are allowed to do three "cabotage" operations within seven days.
Truck drivers would have to take a regular weekly rest - of 45 hours after six days work - outside truck cabins.
Hauliers from France and Germany and other higher-earning states had complained that competitors from Eastern Europe were undercutting them by sending drivers into their territories with much smaller pay packets. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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