Cabotage can reduce empty returns, says EC

Commercial Motor

January 26, 2012

The European Commission (EC) says that its plan for the full liberalisation of cabotage is motivated by the need to reduce empty returns, not the need for harmonisation of rules between member states.

Ahead of a report on cabotage due from the EC in May, Remi Mayet, head of unit for land transport at the EC, says it is one of the best ways to improve the efficiency of road haulage between European countries.

"We believe we need to look at cabotage as a way of optimising transport. It will improve efficiencies and reduce empty returns," he told delegates at the Goodyear Dunlop fuel-efficency symposium in Brussels today.

"We do not want harmonisation for the sake of harmonisation. We want to improve logistics and have more harmonisation between competition."

However, he adds: "We should be very careful about cabotage. There are important differences between [operators in member states] that we need to take into account."

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Commercial Motor

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