The official transition period might be long over. But post-Brexit rules affecting the trading relationship between the UK and the EU continue to evolve. Importers, exporters and the freight operators that move their goods will have to keep their wits about them for the foreseeable future until all the changes eventually bed in.

The most recent changes logistics companies and their clients are having to get to grips with concern road haulage. As the gov.uk website puts it, there are new rules for transporting goods to, through or within Europe using cars and trailers, vans and HGVs.

The new regulations are being implemented in two phases, the first of which has already come into force:

  • As of 2 February 2022, haulage operators now have to declare if they are transporting goods to or through EU member states, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
  • As of 21 May 2022, you will no longer be able to transport commercial goods through Europe in a van, car or trailer using an ordinary licence. You will need a standard international goods vehicle operator licence, plus a qualified transport manager.

Register to declare

The changes that came into force in February affect all classes of commercial vehicle used to transport goods. Declarations have to be made before the journey on the EU’s road transport posting portal. Anyone moving goods to or in the EU (and the wider economic area) now needs to register an account on the portal.

The rules cover all types of goods transportation – cabotage, cross-trade and moving goods for your own business’s use. It’s also important to note that the changes affect transport to and within Ireland, including for vehicle operators registered in Northern Ireland.

If you have previously handled your own logistics to and from Ireland and the rest of the EU and are not sure how the changes will affect you, get in touch with a haulage firm that runs your route. We’re already set up with posting portal accounts and can advise you on the documentation needed to make declarations.

Changes for LCV ‘hire or reward’ transport

The rule changes coming in May only affect anyone using light commercial vehicles for goods transportation. In effect, the changes extend the existing goods vehicle regulations for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes to vans and trailers between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes. They apply to ‘hire and reward’ transportation only, i.e. moving other people’s goods commercially rather than your own.

Any operator that already runs an HGV fleet between the UK and the EU will simply have to add vehicles in this class to their existing international goods vehicle operator licence.

If you don’t already have an international goods vehicle operator licence, there are a number of requirements you need to get one. These include:

  • Having someone with a Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) on your staff. Alternatively, you can get an international goods vehicle operator licence if you can provide a named person at your company who has at least 10 years’ experience managing fleets before August 2020.
  • Demonstrating experience and competence in planning routes and scheduling delivery times, managing fleets and teams of drivers, vehicle maintenance and administration and more.

For more information on road haulage into Ireland, contact our customer service team on +44 1925 761 560