Changes to the arrangements of drivers’ working and rest periods. Regulation (EU) 2020/1054 amending Regulation (EC) No 561/2006

New conditions

Conditions previously in force

Applicable from

Comments

1

Outside the Member State of establishment, two consecutive reduced weekly rest periods may be taken.

One reduced weekly rest period could be taken in any two consecutive weeks.

20 August 2020

Provided that the driver, in any four consecutive weeks, takes at least four weekly rest periods, of which at least two are regular weekly rest periods. Where two consecutive reduced weekly rest periods have been taken, the driver must have a rest period preceding the next weekly rest period taken as compensation for those two reduced weekly rest periods.

2

The regular daily and weekly rest periods may be interrupted if the vehicle is transported by ferry or train.

Only the regular daily rest period could be interrupted.

20 August 2020

Provided that a driver has access to a sleeper cabin, bunk or couchette at his/her disposal during that regular daily rest or reduced weekly rest period.

With regard to regular weekly rest periods, that derogation only applies to ferry or train journeys where:

a) the journey is scheduled for 8 hours or more;

b) the driver has access to a sleeper cabin in the ferry or on the train.

3

Drivers engaged in international carriage of goods must return to their homes or to the operator’s country of establishment at least every four weeks, and at least every three weeks if two consecutive reduced weekly rest periods are taken.

There was no such condition previously.

20 August 2020

Transport undertakings organise the work of drivers in such a way that the drivers can return either to the Member State where their employer is established (state of establishment) or to their place of residence. The undertaking document the fulfilment of those obligations and keep records at its premises in order to present them at the request of the control authorities.

4

A rest period of 45 hours or more may not be taken in a vehicle.

The judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union previously also prevented the use of a rest period of 45 hours or longer in a vehicle.

20 August 2020

Any costs for accommodation outside the vehicle are covered by the employer.

5

The European Commission will ensure easy access to information on safe and secure parking areas.

Information on safe and secure parking areas was not available in one place.

20 August 2020

The European Commission publishes and regularly updates a list of such parking areas on a single official website

https://ec.europa.eu/transport/infrastructure/tentec/tentec-portal/map/m... [2]

6

In exceptional circumstances, the daily and weekly driving times may be extended by up to one hour to reach the employer’s operational centre or driver’s home, in order to take a weekly rest period, or to extend the daily and weekly driving times by up to two hours, provided that a rest period of 30 minutes has been taken before the additional driving time, in order to take a regular weekly rest period.

There was no such condition previously.

20 August 2020

The driver indicates the reason for such departure manually on the record sheet of the recording equipment, or on a printout from the recording equipment or in the duty roster, at the latest on arrival at the destination or the suitable stopping place.

Any period of extension is compensated by an equivalent period of rest taken en bloc with any rest period, by the end of the third week following the week in question.

Changes with regard to positioning by means of tachographs. Regulation (EU) 2020/1054 amending Regulation (EU) No 165/2014

New conditions

Conditions previously in force

Applicable from

Comments

1

Development and introduction of smart tachographs of Version 2.

New vehicles are currently equipped with smart tachographs of Version 1.

21 August 2021

In order to ensure compliance of smart tachographs with certain principles and the new requirements, the Commission adopts detailed rules by means of implementing acts.

2

Replacement of analogue and digital tachographs with smart tachographs of Version 2 in vehicles engaged in international road transport.

There was no such condition previously.

31 December

2024

No later than within three years from the end of the year in which the detailed provisions have entered into force, smart tachographs of Version 2 are fitted to vehicles of such categories that are used in a Member State other than the Member State of their registration:

a) in vehicles equipped with an analogue tachograph;

b) in vehicles equipped with a digital tachograph.

3

Replacement of Version 1 of the smart tachograph with Version 2 of the smart tachograph in vehicles engaged in international road transport.

There was no such condition previously.

19 August

2025

No later than within four years after the entry into force of the above detailed provisions, smart tachographs of Version 2 are installed in vehicles fitted with a smart tachograph and operating in a Member State other than the Member State of their registration.

4

The driver driving a vehicle with an analogue tachograph also enters the symbol of the country that the driver enters after crossing a border of a Member State at the beginning of the driver’s first stop in that Member State. 

There was no such condition previously.

20 August 2020

That first stop is the nearest possible stopping place at the border or after its crossing. Where the crossing of the border of a Member State takes place on a ferry or train, the driver enters the symbol of the country at the port or station of arrival.

5

The driver driving a vehicle with a digital tachograph also enters the symbol of the country that the driver enters after crossing a border of a Member State at the beginning of the driver’s first stop in that Member State. 

There was no such condition previously.

2 February 2022

That first stop is the nearest possible stopping place at the border or after its crossing. Where the crossing of the border of a Member State takes place on a ferry or train, the driver enters the symbol of the country at the port or station of arrival.

6

The driver must be able to provide information on his working and rest periods for the current day and the previous 56 days.

The driver must be able to provide information on his working and rest periods for the current day and the previous 28 days.

31 December 2024

7

Drivers who will carry out international or cabotage operations in vehicles with a maximum permissible mass of more than 2.5 tonnes, including a trailer or semi-trailer, will have to record working and rest periods using the tachograph.

There was no such condition previously.

1 July 2026