More digital mixed messages
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There is still a good deal of confusion surrounding digital tachographs and whether a new mandatory introduction date had been set
The confusion seems to have emanated from a statement issued by the IRU that ‘the European Transport Council decided yesterday evening to postpone the mandatory introduction of the digital tachograph on the 5th August 2005 to the 1st January 2006’.
This is actually not as clear cut as it seems.
According to DfT officials who attended the meeting, the Council decided nothing. What happened was that the Commission representative said that they would be prepared to consider extending the moratorium on enforcement that is currently in existence (because the legal date for introduction was actually August 2004).
Secondly, since the drivers' hours dossier (which contains the amended date for mandatory fitment) is to be subject to a conciliation process, the Council does not have the power to "decide" on its own.
Latest information suggests that conciliation will not take place before September at the earliest. RHA policy director Karen Dee says she will be speaking to DfT again to try to establish what position other member states will be taking on enforcement (UK Government has already stated that it will allow the use of digital tachographs in the UK from August if operators wish to use them, but they will not enforce the mandatory fitment until agreement is reached in the EU) As soon as the position is made clear and there is guidance on how other European member states will react to the digital tachograph situation the RHA says it will advise international operators and members accordingly.
This is actually not as clear cut as it seems.
According to DfT officials who attended the meeting, the Council decided nothing. What happened was that the Commission representative said that they would be prepared to consider extending the moratorium on enforcement that is currently in existence (because the legal date for introduction was actually August 2004).
Secondly, since the drivers' hours dossier (which contains the amended date for mandatory fitment) is to be subject to a conciliation process, the Council does not have the power to "decide" on its own.
Latest information suggests that conciliation will not take place before September at the earliest. RHA policy director Karen Dee says she will be speaking to DfT again to try to establish what position other member states will be taking on enforcement (UK Government has already stated that it will allow the use of digital tachographs in the UK from August if operators wish to use them, but they will not enforce the mandatory fitment until agreement is reached in the EU) As soon as the position is made clear and there is guidance on how other European member states will react to the digital tachograph situation the RHA says it will advise international operators and members accordingly.
