Today, the European Parliament adopted its position on the revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive voting in favor of keeping the flexibility whereby high-capacity vehicles (HCVs) can operate between consenting countries. This is essential for the Nordic countries that allow circulation of vehicle combinations that drive with higher weights and dimensions both nationally and cross border between the Nordic countries.
A significant step closer to the goal
NLA chairman Erik Østergaard reacts to today’s vote: “This is a significant step forward and NLA welcomes the support from MEPs. Driving with heavier, longer and higher combinations is the most efficient way for commercial road transport to bring down fuel consumption, reduce emissions and the number of trucks on the road. HCVs also contribute to the alleviation of Europe’s widespread driver shortage while making Europe’s roads safer by reducing the number of travelling vehicles.”
The NLA chairman continues to point out that the governments of Denmark, Sweden and Finland have worked closely together to ensure that the cross-border transports with high-capacity vehicles, which work very well today, can continue. Even if they don’t exactly fit into the EU’s framework for modular vehicle combinations – the so-called European Modular System (EMS).
Fewer drivers and vehicles on the roads
“All in all, this means that our member companies can continue carrying out energy efficient cross-border transports that do not necessarily fit within the EMS framework, such as transport of agricultural products and foodstuffs, transport for the forest industry, tank transports, bulk combinations and contractor transport. The hauliers can do this with fewer vehicles and drivers on the roads while reducing CO2 emissions per pallet transported. They will also avoid having to make costly investments in new equipment to carry put cross border transports in the Nordics”, states Erik Østergaard.
If NLA’s suggestion to maintain today’s flexibility goes through in the final Directive, truck combinations with a total weight of 56 tonnes on seven axles and 60 tonnes with modular combinations will still be able to run freely between Nordic countries. For cross border transports between Finland and Sweden the weights can even go well above 60 tonnes leading to significant gains in terms of energy efficiency. The suggested change from NLA applies to height as well as allowing for vehicle combinations to go beyond the EMS maximum height requirement of 4 m. The vehicles in the Nordic countries have a maximum height of 4.10 m in Denmark and 4.40 m in Finland, respectively, while Norway and Sweden have no height restriction at all.
One of the prerequisites for this positive opening is that a Member State that allows transport on its own territory with vehicles or vehicle combinations with dimensions that deviate from the EU’s normal rules also allows the circulation of MES combinations. The Member State must thus ensure that all transport operators benefit from fair and equal competition, according to the proposal.
The next step is trilogue negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament in June 2024. Depending on progress, the revised Directive could potentially enter into force as of 1 January 2026.
