Dias nummer 1

IRU-UNTRR conferenceBucharest 8 May 2015

Nordic Logistics Association United each is strongerTo assist and strengthen the public affairs activities of the members in the EU by operating joint representation office in Bruxelles and increase the policy corporation between the members at home and in the EU.

Affiliated member: Finnish Road Haulage Association

Nordic position in a few words:

cabotage needs to be restricted it cannot be a permanent activity,the freedom to establish and common rules should be the main objectives, competition needs to be fair, social dumping is taking place when foreign service providers can undercut local service providers because their labour standards are lower and this is unacceptable (DG EMPL), we shouldnt be surprised when national authorities take national steps (minimum wage etc) to find legitimate solutionsbut we need to find a European solution that we all can accept.

The background

Cabotage is increasing as well as cross country

Any competition always creates a pressure but conditions must be fairCabotage and cross country are exceptions to the standard rules it should not be a permanent activityIt is a basic principle in the Internal Market that services where labour moves cross the borders needs to take into account the differences in social conditions: wages, social security, pension, working conditions etc. Thats why we have the posting of workers directive, services directive, social security rules etcBut transport is special it is mobile and needs its own solutionBut we cannot accept that other sectors in the economy have clear rules and fair competition and road transport does not.We need a common framework in the EU

Cabotage is increasing as well as cross countryIt is a dangerous question and probably unfair because all road transport is important but..have a look at these figures

So what is most important in the EU: national or international road transport? National transport is clearly a very important activity. In relation to cabotage and cross country trade, this means that there is an awful lot of road hauliers who never leave their country who never leave their garage further than 150 km.For them to face what we call unfair competition or even social dumping is not how the internal market is intended to work and they certainly dont believe so.And this is often one-man-one-truck companies.

Why cabotage is so importantThere is today a lot of requirements on a road hauler: registrations, documentation, controls, social rules, climate, finance infrastructure, special registration requirements for different operations, restrictions in favour of passenger cars, restrictions in favour of trains.It is all costs for us!The EU economy must accept that quality transport comes at a price Climate policy has a price, control and enforcement has a price, social responsibility and improved working conditions has a price. This should be a cost we send on to the European economy for the greater benefit of us all: Higher incomes, growth, creation of quality jobs, sustainable road transport companies, stable and longterm framework

We need to be very careful as an industry about what we accept and do not accept