Large Goods Vehicles: Republic of Ireland

(asked on 11th March 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what bilateral agreements the UK has with the Republic of Ireland with respect to hauliers; and whether hauliers will be required to have ECMT permits to travel to the Republic of Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.


Answered by
Chris Grayling Portrait
Chris Grayling
This question was answered on 14th March 2019

The Government’s priority remains to secure a withdrawal agreement with the European Union which maintains current, liberalised, permit-free arrangements.

An EU measure on basic road connectivity is about to be adopted which would allow for the majority of road haulage journeys currently undertaken by UK hauliers to continue during 2019 without the need for permits. The measure would also apply to haulage operations on the Isle of Ireland.

The EU measure would remove the immediate need for bilateral agreements, although we continue to prepare for such arrangements with Member States in case the Regulation is not adopted in time.

This approach is in line with the joint report published in December 2017 by the UK and the EU. It makes clear our steadfast commitment to upholding the Belfast Agreement in full. Specifically, preserving cross-border cooperation on transport in full.

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