UK hauliers have one more week to apply for EU transport permits

Operators have just one more week to apply for European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) permits that will allow them to continue transporting goods in the EU in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

In December, the DfT extended the deadline for operators to apply for one of the 984 annual ECMT permits - on a per truck basis - by four weeks until 18 January.

Applicants will be assessed on the intensity of use of the permit, the industrial sector in which they operate, levels of vehicle emissions and whether they have existing international business.

A few permits will be granted randomly to ensure a range of operator sizes are included.

Hauliers that are unsuccessful in applying for an annual permit will automatically be considered for a short-term permit.

Read more:

• UK hauliers scramble for no-deal Brexit international haulage permits
• European Commission no-deal plan offers olive branch to UK's international hauliers
• Morrison Freight MD shocked at fellow hauliers’ “sluggish” approach to preparing for Brexit

Also last month, the European Commission (EC) published a no-deal contingency plan for road transport that may enable hauliers to temporarily move goods into the EU for a nine-month period from the start of Brexit in March, even in the event of no-deal.

Under the time-limited proposals, the EC will retain the right to cancel at any time and neither cross-trade - transport between two EU cities - nor cabotage are covered.

The DfT said that until the detail is agreed and adopted by the European Parliament and Council, operators should continue with their contingency plans and apply for ECMT permits.