Freight Rail, Workforce, Certification & Training

European states asked to reduce border checks for freight

The European Commission (EC) has requested that all European member states implement ‘green lanes’ on border crossings for freight transport.

The measures follow the disruption of European supply chain networks following border closures implemented to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19). The EC hopes that the green lanes will allow for freight to continue moving through the EU.

Guidelines for the implementation of the green lanes stipulate that no checks and health screenings should take more than 15 minutes, and procedures should be minimised to what is strictly necessary. This involves checks and screening being carried out while drivers remain in their vehicles.

“Our guidance document is intended to protect the EU’s supply chains in these difficult circumstances, and to make sure both goods and transport workers are able to travel to wherever they are needed – without delay. A collective and coordinated approach to cross-border transport is more important today than ever before,” said commissioner for transport, Adina Vălean.

The ‘green lanes’ are encouraged to be implemented across all the border crossing points on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), the continental network of rail, road, and waterways connecting European countries.

While the measures are designed to speed up the movement of goods, the EC also hopes that reducing unnecessary stops help improve the health of transport workers.

“The green lanes are also specifically designed to protect transport workers at the frontline of this crisis. This set of recommendations will ease their already stressful mission and it will bring more safety and predictability to their work,” said Vălean.

The EC has also encouraged that enhanced hygiene measures should be undertaken at railway stations and transport hubs.