New rules for operators of Light Goods Vehicles in Europe

New EU rules came into force on the 21st of May - so now if you’re the operator of a Light Goods Vehicle (LGV) that trades in Europe, you’ll need ensure that you have an appropriate an International Operators’ Licence. We know that it can be a job to keep up with new legislation, especially if you’re a fleet manager who runs a commercial business that operates overseas in Europe, so we like to make it easy for you. If you’re planning on using any of our van hire, car hire or Flexi hire services to transport goods into Europe, here at Intack Self Drive, we’ve put together a brief overview of the new rules to give you an idea of what’s going to be required from hereon in. Let’s get into it!

What’s new for operators of Light Goods Vehicles?

The EU new rules state that any operators of vans and other Light Goods Vehicles must now hold an International Operators’ Licence if they transport goods for “hire or reward” from the UK into (or through) the EU. This licence applies specifically to vehicles that weigh between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes, and those caught without a licence risk disrupting their business. The level of disruption to trade varies depending on the country in which you’re caught without a licence. In some countries, you could face enforcement action like a fine, the impounding of your vehicle or being asked to return to the UK. For more detail on the ins and outs of this new piece of legislation, we recommend you visit GOV.UK for a full list of the formal requirements.

Keep in mind when applying for your licence:

• You’ll need to show evidence that you either have, or are, a qualified transport manager. If you do not have the qualification, there’s a chance you might be able to get temporarily recognised as one if you show you’ve had enough experience.
• You’ll need to display documents such as bank statements in order to prove that you have access to a set amount of finance for running your business
• Remember, if you already hold an International Operator’s Licence for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) you can add extra LGVs to your existing licence.

Posting declarations

As a side note, if you’re transporting goods between two points in the EU (Norway and Liechtenstein for example) for commercial purposes, you’re now obliged to make a “posting declaration”. This basically means that you need to register the operator, driver, driver employment details, dates of travel, and the vehicle used, before making the trip. This applies to operators of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), vans or other Light Goods Vehicles of any size, including cars. However these rules will only apply if you’re moving the goods for hire or reward purposes, or for your own business use.

That’s all the basics pretty much covered! If you find yourself in need of an extra addition to your fleet to help you complete your European deliveries, or just in need of a rental vehicle in general, here at Intack Self Drive, we’ve been proud suppliers of the best rental vehicles for nearly half a century! You can rely on us to provide you with fantastic deals on daily, weekly, and short term van hire services, and if you’ve got any more questions or you need a bit of clarification, you can find more answers over on our Frequently Asked Questions. Or if you’re ready to get started, you can browse the best van hire deals right here on our site at Intack Self Drive, or give us a call on 01254 57811!