Hope for Lithuanian carriers: the European Commission has criticized the rules that toughen their activities

The Government of Lithuania states that the conclusion announced by the Commission creates preconditions for waiting for the rules to be amended, which will come into force within a year.

Last year, Lithuania and eight other countries tried unsuccessfully to block the provisions of the new Mobility Package, which obliges carriers to return to the country of establishment every eight weeks and restrict the provision of transport services in another country.

The European Commission announced on Friday its findings that the mandatory return of tugs to 4.6 percent. it would increase carbon emissions and, together with the restriction of cabotage, would have a negative economic impact on the peripheral EU countries by increasing transport costs.

Transport and Communications Minister Marius Skuodis says this conclusion confirmed Lithuania’s consistent arguments that the new rules are protectionist and harmful.

“We hope that these provisions will be reviewed,” the minister told BNS on Friday night.

“Lithuania has constantly said that these two provisions on the restriction of cabotage and the return of tugs will have significant negative consequences. We are pleased that the Commission has carried out an objective assessment, which has shown this,” said M. Skuodis.

The Minister stated that this conclusion of the Commission may also be an important argument in the case brought by Lithuania and other EU countries in the EU Court of Justice.

According to M. Skuodis, Lithuania supports the extension of social guarantees for drivers, but the new rules introduced in the European Parliament are protectionist.

Carriers appreciate the decision of the EC

Povilas Drižas, director of the International Transport and Logistics Alliance, said he was positive about the news from the European Commission.

“We are glad that the study was carried out and its results were made public (…).

According to him, this is an unprecedented case.

“There is an unprecedented case in the EU where there is legislation and one of the initiators, although the provision is not specific to them, but to Parliament, but after a while they say that the provision contradicts another political bloc – the Green Course, “Driž said.

According to him, the objective now will be to discuss the way forward, how the provisions of the Mobility Package will be changed.

“Attention will now be focused on discussing the way forward: a proposal for new legislation or a revision of the old one,” said the director of the International Transport and Logistics Alliance.

“The position of principle is that such an arrangement cannot exist, and in what form it will be chosen is not very important,” he said.

Lithuanian carriers and the government say that with the so-called mobility package, Western Europeans are looking to drive competitors out of the market.

Western Europeans say the mandatory return of tugs will help combat the registration of bogus shipping companies, in which companies set up shop in one location and operate in another to cut costs.

In addition to Lithuania, eight other countries opposed the new rules: Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Cyprus and Malta. They were not enough to block the decision.

The new rules are expected to go into effect on February 21, 2022.

Following the conclusions, the European Commission asked the Member States and the European Parliament to comment, noting that it did not rule out the possibility of a new legislative initiative.