EU: Commercial vehicles – weights and dimensions – proposal for a directive

 

The EU has published a proposal for an update of the Weights and Dimensions Directive for commercial vehicles.

Council Directive 96/53/EC establishes the maximum permissible weights and dimensions for heavy-duty vehicles operating on Union roads. Its purpose is to enhance road safety, ensure the smooth functioning of the internal market, improve energy and operational efficiency in transport, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, an evaluation of the Directive indicates that it has only partially achieved these objectives, highlighting the need to update its provisions. Such updates should reflect technological advances, support innovation, address evolving transport market challenges, and align with the EU’s policy goals, particularly the decarbonisation of transport.

To tackle inefficiencies in cross-border transport, the rules on vehicle weights and dimensions must be streamlined and clarified. This revision should incentivise the adoption of zero-emission technologies, facilitate the use of existing energy-saving measures, and promote intermodal freight transport. Additionally, to minimise administrative burdens, avoid market distortions, enhance road safety, and prevent infrastructure damage, requirements for heavier and longer vehicles should be harmonised across Member States, and rule enforcement should be reinforced.

Definitions of heavy-duty vehicle types and weight limits are based on EU legislation concerning vehicle type-approval and market surveillance—specifically Regulations (EU) 2018/858 and (EU) 2019/2144. It is therefore necessary to update references to these legal acts to ensure consistency and clarity in the regulatory framework.

Currently, cross-border transport of heavier lorries—especially those with five or six axles used in long-distance operations—is hindered by regulatory inconsistencies. These barriers should be removed in a coordinated manner to unlock short-term gains in operational, energy, and environmental efficiency, particularly in intermodal transport. At the same time, to support the shift to zero-emission mobility, the use of fossil-fuel-powered heavy vehicles of this kind should be phased out by 2035, when zero-emission vehicles are expected to account for around 50% of new HDV registrations. After this phase-out, such heavier vehicles may continue to operate domestically, but for international transport, they must comply with the maximum authorised weights outlined in Annex I of Directive 96/53/EC—allowing weight exemptions only for zero-emission vehicles or those used in intermodal transport.

To improve enforcement and monitoring, reduce congestion, enhance safety, prevent infrastructure damage, and promote sustainable logistics, Member States should be encouraged to implement Intelligent Access Policy (IAP) schemes. These schemes should enforce compliance with authorised weight and dimension limits while adhering to minimum common standards to ensure harmonisation and interoperability across the EU. Key requirements include accessible and standardised data exchange. IAP schemes should ensure that the appropriate vehicle, carrying the appropriate load, travels on suitable roads at appropriate times, thereby minimising environmental, infrastructural, and societal impact. The implementation of such schemes should utilise advanced intelligent transport systems—such as vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, vehicle-to-network communication, real-time data sharing, and remote monitoring—without imposing excessive or discriminatory restrictions.

To find out more about the planned changes of the EU Weights and Dimensions Directive, please do not hesitate to contact the Institute for Global Automotive Regulatory Research.