The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has met with Violeta Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport in Dublin, Verona and expressed its opposition to proposed regulation changes, that would impact negatively on international haulage operators.

Verona Murphy, President of the Irish Road Haulage Association presented Commissioner Bulc with a the mutual declaration signed by national associations from 17 Member States which sets out their opposition to the proposed application of the posting of Workers Directive (96/71/EC) to international transport operations in the EU.

The mutual declaration argues that the Posting of Workers Directive is designed to protect workers who are posted to another Member State for months or even years at a time and is not designed for drivers who work on a daily or even hourly basis in different Member States.

Ms Murphy said that the proposal is unworkable as it will create an administrative nightmare as haulage operators would be required to apply up to 20 different national legislations to a month’s salary and be expected to apply the multiple categories on minimum wage, paid holidays and other conditions for each Member State, even where the driver is only passing through.

Ms Murphy said: “This proposal would have a disproportionate effect on small haulage operators who have less flexibility and simply don’t have the resources to cope with the tidal wave of administration this proposal would bring.”

About the Author: John Loughran