EU Mobility Package: cabotage, vehicle and driver returns

The Mobility Package is the set of EU road transport reforms adopted in 2020. Its aim is to curb "letterbox" companies that are registered in one country but operate in another, and to improve driver conditions. Three topics matter to a carrier: cabotage, the vehicle's return and the driver's return.

What is cabotage?

Cabotage is a domestic transport carried out inside a country by a foreign carrier. For example, a Polish truck brings an international load to Germany and then moves another load between two German cities.

Inside the EU, cabotage by EU-licensed carriers is restricted:

• After unloading an international delivery, up to three cabotage operations are allowed within seven days.
• To do new cabotage in the same country with the same vehicle, a four-day cooling-off period is required.

The limits stop cabotage from being used as a permanent local business. Inspectors look for consistency in the transport documents (CMR and tachograph records), so keep the paperwork in the vehicle.

The vehicle's return

The carrier must bring the vehicle back to its operational centre in the member state of registration every eight weeks. The goal is to stop a truck working abroad indefinitely.

The driver's return

Employers must organise the work schedule so the driver can return to the operational centre or place of residence every four weeks. This was introduced to end months-long stays on the road. The vehicle's return and the driver's return are separate rules; they do not have to happen at the same time.

What it means for a non-EU (Turkish) carrier

Care is needed here. The right to cabotage is in principle granted to carriers established in the EU holding a Community licence. For a Turkish carrier the general position is:

1. Cabotage inside an EU member state is generally not allowed. The bilateral agreements between Turkey and individual countries and the multilateral permit system (ECMT) do not cover cabotage.
2. One leg of the transport should involve Turkey: between Turkey and an EU country, or transit to a third country. Taking an independent load between two EU points on its own can be legally problematic.
3. The risk of fines and other sanctions falls on the carrier and, in some cases, the party who booked the job. If you are unsure about a load, check the current rule of the country concerned in an official source.

For permits and transit documents see our article on transit permits and ECMT.

The practical result for shippers

When you book a load, ask about the vehicle's identity and authorisation. A Turkish truck may not be suitable for a domestic German job. Likewise, an EU carrier that has used up its cabotage rights is effectively unavailable for another domestic load; talking about it in the listing early makes delivery safer.

This article is general information. Check the current rule in an official source of the country concerned, and review your contract with an expert.

What do inspectors ask for?

At a roadside check the driver is asked for the CMR, tachograph records and, where relevant, permits. On a vehicle doing cabotage, the unloading record of the international leg must agree with the dates of the later domestic jobs. Missing documents risk delay and fines even when no rule was actually broken.

On Order And Load a company is verified with its transport licence before it can post or offer, so authorisation is on record from the start. Short definitions of the terms are in the Freight Glossary.