Road transport: Commission refers Poland to the Court of Justice of the EU on the system of permits for the use of the roads by certain trucks

On the 17 November 2016, the European Commission has decided to refer Poland to the Court of Justice of the EU for the incorrect implementation of Council Directive 96/53/EC on maximum weights and dimensions of certain road vehicles. In particular, Poland restricted the freedom to use its road network to certain trucks even if they comply with EU standards.

Under the Polish legislation, trucks with a weight per axle exceeding eight tonnes or 10 tonnes had to obtain a special permit from the responsible road managers for using secondary roads. This is the case even if they are loaded in compliance with EU legislation and should, therefore, be allowed to use these roads without applying for additional permits. Many trucks engaged in long distance transport are in this situation.