Walking the Tightrope between Climate Goals and Truck Drivers' Labour Rights

The Mobility Package I runs counter to the Green Deal Strategy, according to the latest studies released by the Commission.
As the EU faces a standoff, 12 shippers and carriers of Responsible Trucking are working towards the definition of Social Guidelines for the well-being of truck drivers.

The protection of truck drivers’ labour rights could undermine Europe’s efforts to tackle climate change and reach climate neutrality by 2050. According to recent studies released by the European Commission, two requirements of the Mobility Package I – the compulsory return of the vehicle to the Member State of establishment every eight weeks and the application of cabotage quotas on international combined transport operations – run counter to the objectives of the European Green Deal. The issue? The adoption of the two requirements could lead to an annual increase of 3.3 million tons of CO2. This goes directly against the Commission’s strategy of cutting transport emissions by 90 percent by 2050.

While the Commission grapples with this dilemma, partners of the collaborative platform Responsible Trucking are walking the fine line of securing high social standards and the well-being of drivers while adopting and adapting to the EU regulations. BMW Group, Daimler, H&M Group, Ikea Supply AG, Maersk, Postnord, Raben, Scania, Volvo, Volkswagen, XPOLogistics have engaged with stakeholders, institutional representatives, and truck drivers, to achieve the best balance possible between drivers’ working conditions and the objectives set by the EU Green Deal. Some of the issues afflicting drivers derive from the current road transportation business model and could be improved with better communication between transport buyers, transport suppliers, and truck drivers.

To prevent drivers from paying the bill of unforeseen consequences of regulatory changes, Responsible Trucking partners are currently working to deliver and adopt Social Guidelines. The document aims at ensuring minimum standards to comply within their operations – as well as with those of their suppliers and sub-contractors – in social issues related to drivers’ working hours, access to facilities, health, and safety issues.

Responsible Trucking members are committed to have a stable and operational establishment in a Member State and to operate with all the necessary professional competence, as well as to avoid working with letterbox companies - companies based in one European country but conducting their operations in the rest of the Continent.

For more information: