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Belgian Federal Ministers for Mobility and Employment, Georges Gilkinet and Pierre-Yves Dermagne, convened a conference on 23rd February to address social challenges in the European road transport sector and discuss recent control measures. The primary objective of these measures is to safeguard drivers against social dumping, enhance road safety, and combat unfair competition.
Gilkinet emphasized his commitment to ensuring high-quality mobility in Europe with stringent environmental and social standards. He stated, “This requires effective roadside checks to ensure that everyone complies with the rules laid down at European level, which must guarantee drivers’ safety and working conditions, as well as fair competition.” He further highlighted the need for collective efforts to intensify the fight against social dumping and unfair competition to achieve better social and environmental conditions in the road transport sector.
Dermagne echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of the European Mobility Package in maintaining a balance between the social protection of drivers and the freedom of operators to provide cross-border transport services. He stressed the need for increased cooperation among member states to enforce the Mobility Package and promote fair competition and road safety.
The conference also discussed the use of the DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) device, a new technology that allows control officers to remotely access tachograph data in international transport lorries. This technology has enabled more targeted inspections and the detection of specific infringements that were previously difficult to identify.
The ministers underscored the importance of controlling compliance with resting and driving times to combat social dumping and unfair competition, which significantly enhances road safety in Belgium and within the European Union.
The conference served as a platform for the exchange of good practices among Member States, with discussions on harmonizing control approaches across different EU countries. The Belgian Ministers for Mobility and Employment expressed their views on the measures needed in the future, emphasizing the importance of fair and safe mobility on European roads.
