EU Mobility Package Amends 2026

If your European supply chain relies on cross-border freight, you are likely familiar with the strict compliance frameworks governing Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs). However, a major regulatory shift is hitting the logistics sector on July 1, 2026.

The final phase of the EU Mobility Package I goes into effect, targeting a segment of international logistics that has previously managed to fly largely under the regulatory radar: Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs).

For international haulage purchasers, these new rules will directly impact freight capacity, transit times, and shipping costs. Here is a breakdown of what is changing, why it is happening, and how to protect your supply chain.

What is Changing on July 1st?

Historically, strict EU rules regarding driver tracking, rest periods, and operating licenses only applied to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. Starting July 1, 2026, that weight threshold drops significantly to include light commercial vehicles.

All goods vehicles weighing between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes engaged in international hire and reward transport within the EU must now comply with heavy-freight standards. This includes popular express vans—especially when pulling a trailer.

The update introduces three core operational mandates for these van fleets:

• Mandatory Smart Tachographs: Every affected van must be retrofitted with a certified Second-Generation Smart Tachograph (G2V2). This device uses GPS to automatically log speed, routes, and every single national border crossing without requiring manual driver input.

• Strict Driving and Rest Time Rules: Van drivers now face the exact same hour limitations as HGV drivers. This means a hard cap of 9 hours of driving per day (extendable to 10 hours just twice a week), a mandatory 45-minute break after every 4.5 hours of driving, and strict weekly rest periods that cannot be taken inside the cabin.

• Posted Worker & Cabotage Rules: Operators must register journeys via the EU Road Transport Posting Declaration Portal. Van drivers operating "cabotage" (domestic transport within a foreign country) or "cross-trade" must receive wage rates equivalent to the host country standard.

Why is the EU Implementing These Van Rules?

The European Union is closing a major regulatory loophole. Fuelled by the e-commerce boom and just-in-time manufacturing demands over the last decade, the LCV market has exploded. Van fleets were increasingly taking on cross-border logistics jobs previously handled by HGVs to bypass red tape.

The EU is stepping in to address three primary issues:

Fair Competition: Large HGV operators were being undercut by light van operators who didn't have to absorb the overhead costs of tachograph compliance, strict scheduling limits, or localized wage laws.

Driver Welfare: Van drivers frequently endured gruelling, unmonitored shifts while sleeping in small cabins. The new laws enforce standardized, humane working hours and proper rest conditions.

Road Safety: Unmonitored, fatigued drivers operating 3.5-tonne vehicles at highway speeds represent a major safety liability. The smart tachograph makes hours-violations impossible to hide.

The Implications for Freight Purchasers

As a buyer of international haulage, you won't be managing the tachographs yourself, but you will absolutely feel the ripple effects of these new compliance structures.

1. The End of the "Unlimited" Express Van

If you rely on dedicated express vans for critical, last-minute, or emergency parts delivery across Europe, your lead times are about to change. Previously, a dual-driver van team could drive almost continuously across borders to hit a tight deadline. From July 1st, mandatory 45-minute breaks and strict daily rest limits mean transit times for express van freight will lengthen to match standard HGV timelines.

2. Upward Cost Pressures

Compliance isn’t cheap. Carrier companies are facing high hardware and installation costs to source and fit scarce G2V2 smart tachographs, alongside new administrative overhead for posted-worker compliance. Furthermore, matching local minimum wage requirements for cross-border drivers means transport operators will face higher wage bills. Expect carriers to pass these operational costs down the line to shippers.

3. A Temporary Crunch in Van Capacity

There is no transitional grace period for this rollout. Any van caught crossing an international EU border without a functioning G2V2 tachograph after July 1st faces severe penalties, including hefty fines and vehicle immobilization. Because of limited workshop capacities and hardware backlogs, a portion of the European van fleet will simply not be compliant in time. This will likely trigger a temporary capacity squeeze in the express freight market during the late summer months.

How to Prepare Your Supply Chain

To insulate your operations from disruption, transparency with your current transport providers is key. We recommend taking the following steps immediately:

1. Audit your carriers: Ask your current logistics providers explicitly if their sub-3.5t fleet is fully outfitted with G2V2 smart tachographs and if their dispatchers have been trained on the new driver hours regulations.

2. Review your transit expectations: Recalculate your just-in-time delivery schedules. Factor in the reality that van drivers must now stop and rest exactly like truck drivers.

3. Budget for rate adjustments: Anticipate a modest uptick in spot and contract rates for light international freight as operators adapt to the new regulatory reality.

By auditing your transport network ahead of the deadline, you can ensure your European supply chain remains compliant, stable, and moving.

Read more about SEKO's European Logistics Services