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Earlier this week, the CLECAT Road Logistics Institute met to exchange views on developments affecting road transport and logistics at national and EU level. Members discussed the impact of the war in Ukraine on road transport, the revision of the Weights and dimensions Directive and the political developments related to the Fit for 55 Package.

Members received a report on the latest Russian sanction banning EU truck from performing international goods transport operations in Russia and exchanged on the overall impact of the war on road logistics, in view of the rising energy/fuel prices in Europe.

Members gave their approval on the CLECAT position paper on the revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive, which should be adopted by the Commission in April 2023. The paper highlights the freight forwarding sectors’ recommendation to improve efficiency of road logistics, notably by increasing the EU maximum permissible weight for border crossings to 44 tonnes, and 46 tonnes for lorries taking part in intermodal/combined transport operations. CLECAT also calls for authorising the use of European Modular systems (EMS) vehicles in the EU as a general rule.

Finally, members exchanged on the latest developments related to the road-elements of the Fit for 55 Package, namely the adoption of the TRAN report on the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) and the negotiations on the ETS for road transport (ETS 2). CLECAT will continue to call for ambitious targets for the deployment of recharging/refuelling points for heavy-duty vehicles in the AFIR proposal, and for a fair ETS 2 which includes all road users and returns a fair share of its revenues to the road freight sector to help decarbonise their fleet.