Europe blows and Ireland feels a gale

The Irish road haulage industry is just as susceptible to decisions made in Brussels as it is to rules and regulations made closer to home. John Loughran reports.

In the recent past hauliers may have read that Ireland is to be hauled before the European Court of Justice over its failure to implement an EU Directive stretching back to 2003 requiring specific training for bus and lorry drivers.
The European Commission says that Ireland has failed to transpose the 2003 directive despite having been issued with a "reasoned opinion" in June calling on the Republic to comply.
The directive compels Member States to set up a system of initial qualification for drivers of lorries, buses, coaches and minibuses. As well as holding a correct driving licence, drivers will be required to obtain a certificate of professional competence (CPC) and undergo periodic training.

However, under the regulations, all drivers in the categories will be required to undergo 35 hours of training every five years in approved training centres.
They will be issued with a professional aptitude certificates showing that they have gained the initial qualification or undergone the subsequent periodic training.

This Directive, when it is finally transposed in national law will make a huge impact on the Irish road haulage industry. Granted, it may improve standards in the industry, where there is a dearth of formal training, and make a significant impact on road safety.
This Directive is just one of many, that have impacted on the haulage industry in the recent past. The Working Time Directive, and the Digital Tachograph are two others that spring to mind.
Meanwhile, the jury is still out on a series of initiatives aimed at making freight transport in the EU more efficient and sustainable, which have been adopted by the European Commission in recent months.

This new package of measures consists of proposals concerning logistics, a rail network giving priority to freight, and European ports, as well as two documents on the barrier-free European maritime transport area and the motorways of the sea.
The simultaneous adoption of all these measures, according to the European Commission gives a strong signal demonstrating the close links between logistics and the various modes of transport.
The common objective of these initiatives, the Commission claims, is to promote innovative infrastructure technologies and practices, develop means of transport, improve freight management, facilitate the construction of freight transport chains, simplify administrative procedures and enhance quality throughout the logistics chain.

"Europe needs efficient, integrated transport alternatives that are both environment-friendly and user-friendly. The measures which I have presented will also make rail, maritime and inland waterway transport more attractive and more competitive in the context of co-modality", said Jacques Barrot, Commission Vice-President with special responsibility for transport.
"The integration of these modes of transport into efficient logistic chains is essential in order to reconcile the economic efficiency and long-term development of transport."

On the basis of the findings of a wide-ranging consultation starting in the summer of 2006, the logistics action plan proposes 30 or so measures aimed at making freight transport in the EU more efficient and sustainable, while reducing costs and saving both time and energy.
The action plan aims to improve the flow of information accompanying the physical transport of goods, simplify administrative procedures, improve the competence and attractiveness of the logistics sector, and encourage high-quality services. It also advocates innovation in logistics in the urban environment and in long-distance transport concentred in "green corridors".
The Commission is promoting maritime transport, which is sure to gets the haulage industry rattled, on the grounds that it remains the mode that is the most environment-friendly and energy-efficient in terms of greenhouse-gas emissions.
The Commission says the simplification of administrative procedures for maritime transport within the EU is essential in order to make this mode of transport more attractive.

The documents on the European maritime transport area and the motorways of the sea demonstrate, according to the Commission, the progress made with the preparation of these two initiatives and invite all stakeholders to give their opinions. The communication on European ports policy is aimed at facilitating the development of an efficient port system in Europe that will be capable of meeting current and future transport needs. It sets out an action plan for the Commission to help European ports address challenges such as the increase in transport demand, technological changes and the need to reduce emissions.

Given the steady increase in the efficiency of road transport, rail transport also needs to become more competitive, the Commission claims. The Commission’s objective is to promote the creation of a European freight network on which freight transport could offer a better quality of service in terms of journey times, reliability and capacity. To supplement the measures already taken, the Commission is proposing new initiatives with a view to creating a European freight-orientated network in which the service will be more reliable and more efficient than at present.

The European Commission says that freight transport is essential for the competitiveness of the European economy and for the quality of life of EU citizens.
It is estimated that the volumes of goods transported in Europe will increase by 50% between 2000 and 2020. In the years ahead, freight transport must address the challenges of efficiency, quality and sustainability, the Commission argues.
It will therefore need to come up with suitable responses to the problems of congestion, climate change (freight transport is responsible for one third of the CO2 emissions arising from transport), and energy supply and security.
At the same time, the new information and communication technologies and the influence of European freight transport on the global market offer major opportunities for the future.

The International Road transport Union (IRU) - of which the Irish Road Haulage Association is an affiliate - has given a guarded welcome to the new initiatives, but it seeking clarification on a number of issues.
It will take some time, for these so-called initiatives to filter down from Brussels through the logistics chain. It is too soon to say whether they will have a positive or negative impact on the Irish haulage industry. What is certain though is that fact they will have an impact down the road.