The European Commission provided an interpretation of the Directive on weights and dimensions of road vehicles and the conditions to be met when adjacent Member States wish to authorise longer trucks to cross the border between them. The clarification has been sent to the European Parliament following questions asked by the International Road Transport Union.

Directive 96/53 on the maximum weights and dimensions of road vehicles provides for three circumstances where derogations to the maximum dimensions of the trucks can be granted. This interpretation of the Directive 96/53 has been sent in a letter by the European Commission to Mr Simpson, Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament. The clarification has been made following questions originally asked by the International Road Transport Union. In May 2012, the European Commission published a set of guidelines for Member States with the aim to prevent discriminatory treatment by road charging systems put in place in some states against foreign.

The Commission clarified that adjacent Member States who wish to use the three derogations to authorise longer trucks to cross the border between them can only do so if specific conditions are met. The first derogation concerns a transport operation of an indivisible load. In such a case the Member States concerned can authorise it on the basis of special permits; the second derogation concerns vehicles using the modular concept crossing a border, where the existing infrastructure requirements allow it. The directive is not opposed to such transport operations insofar as the international competition is not significantly affected and the transport remains within two Member States; and finally, the third derogation concerns a journey which is part of a trial. That trial must remain local and limited in time.

Currently, use of modular trucks is allowed in Finland and Sweden, and is being trialled in Denmark, the Netherlands and some German Länder. The above derogations have no effect in Member States which do not make use of these derogations and do not allow longer vehicles on their territory. Each Member States can thus decide to allow or not to allow the use of longer vehicles on their territory, based on local circumstances and concerns. In addition, the Commission is planning to propose limited amendments to other aspects of the Directive on weights and dimensions late in 2012.