Normality returns to rest and driving times

The different states members agreed, through a videoconference meeting of the different European transport ministers, some "rules of the game" for the new situation created by the Coronavirus Covid-19. With them he sought proportionality of the measures to be taken in the different countries and non-discrimination, so that European carriers and transport companies could exercise their work with the maximum equality possible.

These measures, despite the intentions of the meeting of ministers, have been very varied in the different countries, changing over time and creating a lot of confusion. The pandemic has had different effects in different countries, with measures more or less harsh, with more success or less, and this has also been reflected in transport regulation, key in this situation.

During this period European carriers engaged in international transport have had to do real sudoku puzzles to square their driving times with the current regulations.

Countries like France or Denmark did not apply exemptions and continued to maintain the times of driving and rest that marks the current European Regulation.

In Spain the exemptions They were applied to all types of transport, both goods and people. Are exemptions increased daily driving from 9 to 11 hours and reduced the break time to 9 hours. This more permissive line was one of the most followed, with similar measures in Austria, Slovakia, Greece, Poland or the United United.

Other group of countries limited the exemptions only for the transport of essential goods, of the food sector and raw materials, pharmacological products and fuels, among other key sectors. This was the path followed by Germany, Belgium, Holland or Switzerland, which only applied these exemptions from April 19 to 30.

This period of exemptions ended on May 31, as had been marked by the Commission European Union, returning to current regulations, common to all States members of the European Union. This ends a stage of uncertainty, which has made it difficult for the 15,000 carriers Spaniards who follow European routes on a daily basis. We're back to normal!