IP/07/1538
Brussels, 17th October 2007
Digital tachograph for road transport:
Commission takes Greece to the Court of Justice
The European Commission today launched a court
proceeding against Greece for failure to properly introduce the digital
tachograph system. This tamper proof recording equipment is essential to make
sure that all professional drivers and operators engaged in transport of goods
and passengers respect the common European rules on driving time and rest
periods. These rules ensure that professional drivers take their rest and do not
drive excessive hours, thus improving their social conditions and road safety
for all.
Regulation 3821/85 requires that digital tachographs must be fitted into all
goods vehicles and buses that come into scope of the Drivers' Hours Rules and
that are registered after 1st May 2006. Greece has failed to take all
the required measures. In particular, Greece had not yet established its
national card issuing authority and system for producing and securely
distributing the tachograph cards. These include Driver Cards used by drivers;
Control Cards used by enforcers to access and check the data on the digital
tachograph; Company Cards used by transport operators to download data; and
Workshop Cards necessary for digital tachographs to become fully operational.
As a result, drivers who have their residence in Greece can not obtain secure
driver cards and digital tachographs can not be used by transport undertakings
established in Greece. This is a serious handicap for Greek road transport
companies, because they are not allowed to travel to other EU countries with
vehicles registered after 1st May 2006.
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