Source: European Parliament
The Commission is aware that different practices exist in Member States as regards the inspection of cargo securing, which is linked to the fact that directive 2014/47/EU[1] does not make such inspections mandatory.
Nonetheless, Annex III of the directive sets out the principles of cargo securing, including relevant standards, and common rules on the inspection of cargo securing (including the classification and assessment of deficiencies), if such checks are applied.
Inadequate securing of cargo sometimes leads to serious accidents, hence, when detected, such deficiencies must be corrected, which may involve the temporary restriction or prohibition of the use of the vehicle (cf. Article 14 of the directive). Such restrictions appear thus to be justified based on the overriding public interest of road safety.
The Commission has considered the effects of diverging national practices in the impact assessment that will accompany the proposal for the revision of the directive. The Commission proposal is expected to be adopted in the coming weeks.
Certain generally applicable physical formulae are already referred to in Annex III of the directive as well as in the 2014 best practices guidelines on cargo securing for road transport[2].
The various standards listed in Annex III of the directive and in the best practice guidelines relate to different aspects of cargo securing, such as the calculation of lashing forces, lashing points, various forms of securing the cargo, as well as transport packaging etc.
- [1] Directive 2014/47/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on the technical roadside inspection of the roadworthiness of commercial vehicles circulating in the Union and repealing Directive 2000/30/EC, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/47/2022-09-27
- [2] European Commission: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, Cargo securing for road transport — 2014 European best practices guidelines, Publications Office, 2014, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2832/80373