All news & events

DG MOVE released this week a Q&A document on posting of drivers in the context of transport of goods by road. The guide aims at a common understanding and a harmonised approach of the posting rules, as the new rules will enter into force on 2nd February.

On 25 January, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global air freight markets showing that full-year demand for air cargo increased by 6.9% in 2021, compared to 2019 (pre-COVID levels) and 18.7% compared to 2020 following a strong performance in December 2021. This was the second biggest improvement in year-on-year demand since IATA started to monitor cargo performance in 1990 (behind 2010’s 20.6% gain), outpacing the 9.8% rise in global goods trade by 8.9 percentage points.

Maritime analyst Sea Intelligence published on yesterday the latest issue of the Global Liner Performance report, with schedule reliability figures up to December 2021. The report shows that schedule reliability dropped again, this time by -1.2 percentage points on month-to-month basis to 32.0%; the lowest ever global schedule reliability since Sea-Intelligence started the measurement in 2011.

The European Parliament’s Research Service issued this month a report on the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on freight transport. It provides an overview of the measures taken at EU and national level to support the free flow of goods, predicts the emerging developments and trends of the industry and proposes policy recommendations to address the challenges emerging from the crisis.

On 24 January, the European Commission opened a stakeholder consultation on the Staff Working Document “For a resilient, innovative, sustainable and digital mobility ecosystem: Scenarios for a transition pathway”, which focuses on the transition of the mobility ecosystem, covering automotive, waterborne and rail supply.

On 21 January, the European Commission launched a public consultation ahead of a new legislative package later this year to adapt the way VAT is reported and collected in an increasingly digital world. The consultation seeks feedback from, among others, business federations, trade associations, companies, international organisations, national tax and customs authorities, brokers, and tax advisers. The call for feedback is open until 15 April 2022 and responses can be submitted in any official EU language.

At the beginning of this year, trade embraced another portion of changes in GB’s relationship with the EU (excluding Ireland). As of 1 January 2022, full customs controls apply to all traded goods, along with additional pre-notification requirements for certain SPS shipments. Three weeks after the entry into effect of the new requirements, CLECAT members report on their experiences.

The European Commission published today a call for evidence for the evaluation of the Directive on weights and dimensions. This Directive sets standards for the maximum weights and dimensions of heavy-duty vehicles used in national and international transport. As announced in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the revision of the Directive would help to make road transport more sustainable by making available sustainable alternatives and the right incentives to drive the transition.