“Cooling off” cabotage rule
New EC Cabotage Guidelines: What Carriers Must Know
In March, the European Commission released new Q&A guidelines clarifying cabotage rules. Key points include:
- Multiple loading/unloading places allowed
- Transport of empty pallets/containers covered
- Cabotage in another country right after international delivery
Main rules:
- After an international delivery, carriers may perform up to 3 cabotage operations in 7 days.
- Driving empty to another country allows 1 cabotage in 3 days, but still within the 7-day limit.
- A 4-day cooling-off period applies before repeating cabotage in the same country.
What changed?
The EC says counting is not by calendar days. Weekends and public holidays extend the cooling-off period,meaning a “4-day break” can easily turn into 5 or even 6 days of downtime. The same stricter logic applies to the 7-day and 3-day limits.
⚠️ Bottom line: carriers risk longer idle times and tighter controls. Will you adapt to the new rules -or let compliance mistakes cost you business?
