Loopholes in EU law fuel the exploitation of professional drivers – be this in the form of long working hours and short periods of rest, or employment schemes based on illegal pay and no social protection. What is more, the conditions that drivers live in while away from home are uncomfortable, unhygienic and sometimes even dangerous.

The ETF pulled the alarm signal: policymakers must urgently close these loopholes and step up controls and enforcement in bus, coach and road freight. In 2012, we launched a campaign calling on EU lawmakers to restore respect for professional drivers. It is time to act against degrading jobs and working conditions.

In time our efforts had real impact on EU policy. When he started his term in 2015, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker put social issues at the core of the European Commission priorities. The European Parliament also engaged in assiduous work on social dumping in road transport, and member states started to take concrete action by implementing more controls of existing rules.

Nevertheless, the fight goes on. The proposal for an EU MOBILITY PACKAGE could undermine the already weak rules governing the sector. It is vital that we continue our struggle to ensure that the EU delivers on its social promises, so that professional drivers get the respect they deserve.

[Note: The Respect Drivers Campaign continues, but now largely overlaps with our work on the EU MOBILITY PACKAGE. This is part of the ETF’s broader FAIR TRANSPORT EUROPE Campaign against social dumping in the transport sector.]