• Stamps

• Recurrent Transport Operations

• Certificates for Tractor and (semi-)trailer

• Licences on Board

• Translation of ECMT Certificates

• Interpretation of Article 3.16 by Austria, Greece and Italy

Stamps

Is it mandatory that, while performing transport operations between ECMT member countries, a stamp from the customs Authority of the country of loading appears in the ECMT Logbook?

According to the ECMT rules set out in the " ECMT Multilateral Quota User Guide ", Chapter 5, articles 5.9 and 5.11, the stamp may appear on the logbook, but this is not a compulsory requirement:

The Guide does not contain any specific requirement regarding the stamps from Customs or any other Authorities of the country of loading to appear in the logbooks.

It is therefore acknowledged that stamps on logbook sheets whatever the case may be, are not mandatory.

Recurrent Transport Operations

There are cases when, during the third bilateral journey involving the country of registration, at border crossing points of an ECMT member country other than the country of registration, controlling Authorities give a warning/penalty for misuse of an ECMT licence on the ground of interpretation of the term "recurring transport operations only".

In the "ECMT Multilateral Quota User Guide", the definition “Recurring transport” , Chapter 1 (page 9), stipulates, as follows: “ - Recurring transport: exclusive transport between two Member countries outside the country of registration.”   At the same time, article 6.6 of Chapter 6 "Validity and Withdrawal" of the Guide says that:

It is therefore acknowledged that , the bilateral transport operations involving the country of registration are not regarded as recurring transport and, therefore, shall not be considered as a misuse of the licence. Moreover, in the case of recurring transport it is a responsibility of the competent Authorities of the country of registration solely to define whether the licences are being used insufficiently, and take a decision on their withdrawal.

Certificates for Tractor and (Semi-) Trailer

Is it necessary for a (semi-) trailer to correspond to the same or a higher ecological standards as the tractor vehicle itself, as there are cases when, for instance, by some controlling Authorities, a EURO III or IV or V certificate for the (semi-) trailer is required?

As stated in the " ECMT Multilateral Quota User Guide  ".  The "EURO III safe" lorry scheme (page 121) Chapter 9. The "EURO IV safe" lorry scheme (page 33), Chapter 10 - The “EURO V safe” lorry scheme (page 41), and Chapter 11 - The “EURO VI safe” lorry scheme (page 53):"

These certificates attest the minimum safety requirements. The for the trailer or semi-trailer to correspond to the emission standards of the towing tractor vehicle (i.e. EURO III or IV or V or VI) is not foreseen by the Guide and therefore, is not appropriate..

Licences on Board

Some control authorities of the ECMT Member countries require a vehicle that entered a territory of the given country with an ECMT licence must carry the same licence on board when leaving this country either loaded or empty.   There have been several cases when drivers have been fined when leaving empty the country without the ECMT licence they used to enter this country.?

As stated in the " ECMT Multilateral Quota User Guide ", Chapter 4 - Use of ECMT licences:

At the same time Chapter 3 - Issuing and Limits of ECMT Licences indicates:

That is an ECMT licence should remain on board  the vehicle during the complete journey, loaded trip or an empty trip  considered as a separate full journey,  Moreover, the  road transport undertaking is entitled to transfer an ECMT licence from one vehicle, , to another vehicle of the same or higher Euro category, belonging to the same undertaking. Consequently, performing a loaded journey under the cover of ECMT licence does not imply that the consecutive or preceding empty trip has been, or shall be, performed under the cover of the same ECMT licence as well..

An empty (or loaded) trip, performed without the ECMT licence between two ECMT Member countries may  be governed by the provisions of bilateral (or any other, i.e. regional) agreement between the two States.

Translation of ECMT Certificates

Documents to be onboard a lorry: Translation of Certificates

As indicated in the "ECMT Multilateral Quota User Guide"  page iii the Certificates carried on board a lorry should be filled-out  in one of the four languages: language of the country of registration, French, English, German and be accompanied by translation into at least two other of these languages.

That is the translation may be only in the form of corresponding blank form of the certificate, and it does not require to be filled-out, or stamped.

Interpretation of Article 3.16 by Austria, Greece and Italy

Austria, Greece and Italy confirmed that in the example below, Case1 is in compliance with their interpretation of Article 3.16, while Case 2 will be considered as a violation, and will result in appropriate penalties.

Note: The ITF Secretariat and Member countries restate that the interpretation of Italy and Greece, joined later by Austria, regarding the first loaded trip is not in conformity with the Ministerial decision of 2005 or a legal reading of Article 3.16 (as clarified by OECD legal directorate).