Regulation 2020/698 - Specific and temporary measures in view of the COVID‐19 outbreak concerning the renewal or extension of certain certificates, licences and authorisations and the postponement of certain periodic checks and periodic training in certain areas of transport legislation - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 165/10

The COVID‐19 outbreak and the associated public health crisis represent an unprecedented challenge for the Member States and impose a heavy burden on national authorities, Union citizens, and economic operators, in particular transport operators. The public health crisis has created extraordinary circumstances that affect the normal activity of the competent authorities in the Member States, as well as the work of transport undertakings as regards the administrative formalities to be completed in different transport sectors, and that could not reasonably have been anticipated at the time of adoption of the relevant measures. Those extraordinary circumstances have a significant impact on various areas covered by Union transport law.

In particular, transport operators and other persons concerned may not be able to complete the necessary formalities or procedures in order to comply with certain provisions of Union law relating to the renewal or extension of certificates, licences or authorisations or in order to complete other steps necessary to maintain their validity. For the same reasons, the competent authorities of the Member States may be unable to comply with obligations established by Union law and to ensure that relevant requests introduced by the transport operators are dealt with before the expiry of the applicable deadlines. It is therefore necessary to adopt measures to overcome those problems and to ensure both legal certainty and the proper functioning of the legal acts concerned. Adaptations to that effect should be provided for, in particular in respect of certain time limits, with the possibility for the Commission to authorise extensions on the basis of a request submitted by any Member State.

Directive 2003/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) lays down rules applicable to the initial qualification and periodic training of drivers of certain road vehicles for the carriage of goods or passengers. Those drivers must hold a certificate of professional competence (CPC) and must prove they have completed the periodic training by holding a driving licence or a driver qualification card, on which the periodic training is registered. Due to the difficulties for the holder of a CPC in completing the periodic training and in renewing the CPC certifying the completion of that periodic training as a consequence of the extraordinary circumstances caused by the COVID‐19 outbreak, which had started by 1 February 2020 in some Member States, it is necessary to extend the validity of that CPC for a period of seven months from its date of expiry, in order to ensure the continuity of road transport. Measures regarding those matters taken by Member States in accordance with Article 8(2) and (3) of Directive 2003/59/EC, Annex I to Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (3), or Annex II to Directive 2003/59/EC before...