On 29 April 2020, the Commission adopted four new proposals including measures aimed at alleviating the difficulties the coronavirus outbreak is causing to the transposrt sector. The measures introduced by Member States to protect the citizens’ health, indeed, have made it difficult for some transport operators and national administrations to complete certain formalities required under the European law.

The first proposal introduces temporary provisions extending the validity of certificates, licences or authorisations such as, amongst others, driving licences, roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers and Community licences for the provisions of road haulage service, that would expire between 1 March 2020 and 31 August 2020, ensuring they remain valid for a reasonable period of time during and after the coronavirus outbreak. Furthermore, the proposal allows Member States to ask the Commission for a prorogation of the timeframe required to renew the above-mentioned documents.

The second proposal, instead, aims at modifying on a temporary basis a number of provisions concerning the air transport, in order to allow the Commission as well as national authorities to more efficiently address the negative consequences of the pandemic and to mitigate its impact. More particularly, these measures entail, amongst other things, i) an amendment to the air carrier licencing rules in case of financial problems caused by the pandemic, ii) simpler procedures for traffic rights restrictions, and iii) a prolongation until 31 December 2021 of ground-handling contracts. 

The third proposal amends Regulation (EU) 2017/352 by giving competent port authorities the possibility to waive, suspend, reduce or defer the payment of the port infrastructure charges owed by the users, provided that this takes place in a transparent and non-discriminatory way.

Finally, the fourth proposal extends the transposition deadlines for Directive (EU) 2016/797 on the interoperability of the rail system within the European Union and Directive (EU) 2016/798 on railway safety, originally foreseen for 16 June 2020, to 16 September 2020, in order to grant Member States the time they need to complete their own national procedures.

Marco Stillo