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Spaniards jump the gun
Page 12
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Spain has been quick off the mark with digital tacho legislation — which may come as a surprise to the rest of the EU. Guy Sheppard reports.
INTERNATIONAL hauliers face fines of up to €6,000 when operating in Spain if new trucks are not fitted with digital tachographs.
This law is effective immediately — but trade associations warn that it breaks an agreement reached by EU member states last month to delay introduction of digitachs until May because of technical difficulties with the equipment.
The international Road Transport Union (ERU) is urging the European Commission to intervene, warning of chaos if countries act unilaterally on this issue. Damian Viccars, IRU head of international affairs, comments: "The last thing we wanted was a staggered, ad hoc introduction across Europe that creates confusion for operators."
The Road Haulage and Freight Transport Associations are press ing the UK government to clarif) the situation.
Don Armour, the FTA's head oi international service, says tht worst-case scenario would bc Spanish police impoundinE vehicles found without digitachs "It would be an absolute nightmare. Not so much due to the cosi but the arrogance involved anc inconvenience to everyone."
Richard Fry, director of Somerset-based Framptons Intern& tional, which sends a dozen trucks to Spain every week, says tht decision could be a ploy to extraci fines from foreign hauliers.
He points out: "A few years agc they decided that clocks on tachcm had to he set at the time of tilt country they were in instead oi the country of origin as the EL regulations say That lasted quite few months."
However Fry does not anticipate any problems as his Sheptor Mallet-based company has no new vehicles on order.