On 16 June the European Commission decided to continue before the EU Court of Justice the infringement procedures opened against Denmark and Finland in 2015, on the grounds that their national legislations do not comply with the Regulation (EC) 1072/2009 on access to the international road haulage market.

Specifically the two Member States concerned did not observe the rules on the practice known as “cabotage”, that allows hauliers with a Community licence to perform up to three national carriage operations in a Member State other than their own, following the unloading of an international transport. The Regulation states that each cabotage operation may involve several loading and unloading points.

Finnish law, instead, limits cabotage to ten operations in a three-month period, and considers that each loading or unloading constitutes a cabotage operation, whereas for Denmark a single cabotage operation can involve several loading or unloading points, but not both.

The Finnish Parliament will vote soon on a Government decree which may adapt national legislation with the European one. If the decree is adopted, the Commission will reconsider the decision taken.