Driving in Europe after Brexit for professional drivers

We covered the changes that will affect all drivers in our previous blog post, however there are some details that are specific to professional drivers that also need highlighting.

Below are the matters lorry, truck, and goods vehicle drivers will need to be aware of after Brexit – as published in government-issued technical notices.

1. Trailers

Commercial trailers weighing over 750kg and non-commercial trailers weighing over 3,500kg must be registered before travelling to or through most EU or EEA countries.

Register your trailer(s) with the DVLA

2. Permits

We discussed permits in our previous blog post, and those rules apply for professional drivers just as they do private ones. In the event of a no deal exit, drivers may require international driving permit(s) to drive in the EU and EEA.

3. Community licences/ECMT permits

In the event of a no deal exit, EU and EEA countries may not recognise UK-issued community licences. However, the government “is confident” it can negotiate new deals with EU countries to provide haulage access.

The government has suggested drivers and businesses consider investing in ECMT international road haulage permits, in case UK-issued community licences are no longer recognised.

4. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

Regulations have been passed in Parliament which confirm that the UK government does not require Northern Ireland hauliers to carry permits when on international journeys to, or through, the Republic of Ireland.

In a no deal scenario, if you have a Northern Ireland operator’s licence, you will still not need an ECMT permit for a journey to the Republic of Ireland.

If you have a Great Britain operator’s licence, however, you should apply for an ECMT permit if you plan to drive in the Republic of Ireland after 29 March 2019.

5. Driver Certificate of Professional Competence

If you drive HGVs, you have always needed a Driver CPC.

In a no deal scenario, EU and EEA countries may not recognise UK-issued Driver CPCs.

If you have an ECMT permit as mentioned in Point 3, you will still be able to operate in the EU with a UK-issued Driver CPC.

If you are a UK national working for an EU company and driving in the EU and EEA, you will need a Driver CPC issued by an EU or EEA country. You can exchange your UK Driver CPC for an EU Driver CPPC by applying to the relevant body in that country.

And there you have it – a quick(…) summary of the government’s technical notices on driving in the EU and EEA after Brexit – tailored for professional drivers

At the time of writing, no deal has been agreed between the UK government and the European Union. Things could change between now and March 29, but it never hurts to be prepared. Keep an eye on our site in the future for future updates on how Brexit could affect driving in the EU. .