New EU rules could cost one of Malta’s oldest international trucking companies between €500,000 and €1 million to implement, resulting in higher costs for the consumer.
Kevin Feletti, director of sales and development at Attrans, explained that the reform would force carriers to repatriate their vehicles every two months and give drivers about two days of stay each month.
The new rules are not good news for local businesses. According to Mr. Feletti, they will raise operating costs by up to one million euros which will inevitably be passed on to the consumer.
“This means that we have to invest in more transport vehicles to compensate for those who have to return to Malta. This reform does not make sense for Malta,” he said.
The comments came after Reuters news agency reported that Malta and eight other European member states, including Cyprus and Bulgaria, were discussing legal action to change the rules.
This means that we have to invest in more transport vehicles to compensate for those who have to return to Malta
The European Parliament had voted in favor of amendments to the European Union rules regarding the place of work of truck drivers, their rest periods, and the return of trucks to the operator’s country.
Under the amendments, trucking companies will need to provide a paid rest period of about 45 hours every three to four consecutive weeks, at “the employer’s facility or at the drivers’ residence.”
Trucks will also have to return to company headquarters every eight weeks, in a move aimed at preventing transport companies from trying to register in other EU countries to take advantage of lower taxes.
These reforms will likely force the company to increase its 50-truck fleet by 15 to 20 percent, and accommodate potential two-day hotel stays at a cost of at least 40 euros per night, Feletti said.
He also stressed that the reforms do not take into account the need for infrastructure such as extensive parking facilities for trucks to be fixed and secured when not in operation.
“Every EU country in mainland Europe will have to invest in parking infrastructure. At the moment, there is no infrastructure to host the tractor units,” he said.
“If the EU is going to impose this on operators, there has to be infrastructure in place. It will take years to do.
“The European Union does not take these issues affecting Malta seriously. He added that each member state has different circumstances and challenges.
Attrans has been operating since 1976 and provides transportation solutions from Malta to continental European countries such as Germany, France and Italy, as well as to Scandinavia and North Africa. The company moves between 60 to 80 trailers of cargo each week.
Everything, from clothes to used cars, is transported into the country via ATRNS.
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