The Mobility Package: driving and rest times, cabotage and posting

Short answer: The 2020 EU Mobility Package reforms the rules for international road transport across three connected pillars: driving and rest times, market access and cabotage, and the posting of drivers. The rules entered into force in stages from 2020 and directly affect your planning, payroll administration and compliance.

Three pillars

The Mobility Package consists of three legislative instruments that together reform the framework for road transport:

• Regulation (EU) 2020/1054 — driving and rest times: stricter rules on driving and rest times and the tachograph. A regular weekly rest may no longer be taken in the cab; the employer must facilitate it away from the vehicle. The principle of driver return also applies: companies must organise work so that drivers can return home or to the operating centre at regular intervals.
• Regulation (EU) 2020/1055 — market access and cabotage: after a cabotage cycle, a four-day cooling-off period applies before cabotage may be carried out again in the same country. Vehicles must in principle return to the member state of establishment every eight weeks. Light commercial vehicles above 2.5 tonnes used internationally fall under the operator licensing requirement.
• Directive (EU) 2020/1057 — posting: a lex specialis setting out when posting rules apply to international drivers and what remuneration is due. Bilateral transport and transit are generally exempt; cabotage and cross-trade are as a rule covered by posting.

Entry into force

The measures were introduced in stages. The driving and rest time rules largely applied from 2020, while the posting and cabotage rules and the vehicle return obligation followed in 2022. Later elements, such as the second-generation smart tachograph, have their own transition periods. For exact dates, always rely on the authentic texts in the Official Journal.

Practical impact for operators

For anyone running international transport, the package affects three work processes:

• Planning: trips and rotations must be set up so that the driver returns on time, the vehicle stays within the eight-week limit, and the cabotage cooling-off period is respected.
• Payroll administration: posted trips are subject to the host country's remuneration; this requires accurate registration, time recording and payment.
• Compliance: tachograph data, return evidence and posting declarations via the IMI portal must be demonstrably in order.

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