Parliament gave a first-reading to two legislative proposals aimed at modernising the rules on access to the road freight transport market and licensing for road transport operators. It was notably agreed that restrictions on freight cabotage (delivery operations within a Member State other than that where the haulier is based) will be lifted by 2014.

Road freight market

Matthieu Grosch (EPP-ED, BE) saw his report adopted with 499 votes in favour, 153 against and 46 abstentions. The key issue was cabotage: when and to what degree may a haulier from one Member State collect and deliver goods within another Member State. Parliament agreed with the Commission that, for the time being, when a haulier takes a delivery to another Member State, he or she may then make three consecutive cabotage operations (i.e. collections and deliveries within that Member State) before returning to their home country within seven days.
 
Parliament wants, however, to see these restrictions phased out.  By 378 votes to 294, it adopted a provision increasing the permitted number of cabotage operations to seven with effect from two years after the entry into force of the legislation, and then abolishing all restrictions on the number and duration of cabotage operations on 1 January 2014.
 
Member States, should enter in their national register of road transport undertakings all serious infringements to the rules committed by hauliers which have led to the imposition of a sanction. Parliament decided however, that it would be a disproportionate also to include repeated minor infringements in this arrangement.

Also, by by 634 votes in favour to 288 against with 45 abstentions, Parliament has set the outlines for stricter licensing rules for those providing road transport services. It endorses, in particular, proposals to ensure transport managers are properly qualified, provisions on the good repute of an operator, and the withdrawal of licences of operators guilty of serious infringements.