Effects of the European Mobility Package

With the European Mobility Package, the European Commission (EC) has developed proposals for the road transport sector.

The proposals focus on the functioning of the internal market, on improving the social dimension, pricing and sustainability. Concrete topics that are worked out include: adaptation of the Eurovignette Directive, possibility of cabotage, monitoring of CO2, adaptation of the Driving and Rest Time Act and electronic toll collection. Ecorys has been commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management to investigate the effects of the European Mobility Package on the Dutch road transport sector.

In a letter from the Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment (Van Nieuwenhuizen) to the House of Representatives, the investigation is offered and the Ecorys conclusions are endorsed.
The most important conclusions are, in the minister’s words:

“On balance, Ecorys expects mainly negative effects for the Dutch transport sector. In particular, the increase in cabotage expected by Ecorys will have a negative effect on this sector. After all, the Dutch transport sector consists mainly of SMEs, which are largely active on the domestic market. The effect of the proposal on driving times and rest periods is limited negative for drivers in the transport sector due to an increase in the risk of fatigue and the consequences for road safety. With regard to the costs for transport companies, both administrative and operational costs, no effects were found that were of a substantial size. “