Description
The carriage of goods by road for hire or reward between EU or EEA states (but also with Switzerland and the UK) is based on a Community licence system.
The Community licence admits road haulage for hire or reward to the EU market and also
- authorises the carriage of goods between EU or EEA states (but also with Switzerland and the UK) without restriction;
- is required for non-exempt transports;
- is not subject to quotas and can be issued to any company registered in the Register/REN that meets the requirements;
- has a duration of five years and is renewable
- is not transferable;
- is issued/renewed in a single original for Italian carriers by MIMS - Department for Sustainable Mobility - DG for Road Transport and Intermodality - Division 4.
The haulage company keeps the Community licence at its registered office, but must request the certified true copies to be kept on board the vehicles on the road from the competent Motorizzazione (Motor Vehicle Licensing Authority) according to the registered office.
CERTIFIED TRUE COPY OF THE COMMUNITY HAULAGE LICENCE
The Community licence is issued in a single original, therefore for the circulation of vehicles road haulage companies must request from the Civil Motorization Office of the province in which the company is established (also in the event that the company has branch offices) a certified copy of the Community licence for each vehicle in availability whose technically permissible laden mass, including that of trailers, exceeds 2.5 tonnes (except for exemptions).
In the event of replacement of the Community licence due to renewal or variation, the certified true copies must be requested.
The certified true copies are issued for vehicles at the disposal of the company by way of:
- ownership;
- purchase with retention of title
- leasing;
- usufruct;
- hire (rental without driver).
EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LICENSING REQUIREMENT COMMUNITY
The following types of carriage of goods (as well as empty journeys) may be carried out without a licence
(a) the carriage of mail as a universal service
b) the carriage of damaged vehicles or vehicles in need of repair;
(c) from 21 May 2022, the carriage of goods by motor vehicles whose technically permissible laden mass, including that of trailers, does not exceed 2.5 tonnes;
(d) the carriage of medicines, appliances, equipment and other articles required for medical care in the context of emergency aid, in particular in the event of natural disasters and humanitarian assistance
(e) the carriage of goods on own account, which occurs when the following conditions are met
(I) the goods transported are the property of the road hauliers or have been sold, bought, given or hired, produced, extracted, processed or repaired by them
(II) the purpose of the journey is to carry the goods to the premises of the road haulage operator or to dispatch them from those premises, or to move them, on or off the premises of the haulier for the needs of the haulier
(III) the vehicles used for such carriage are driven by personnel employed by the road haulage operator or put at his disposal under a contractual obligation
(IV) the vehicles carrying the goods are owned by the road haulage carrier, have been bought on credit or hired by him
(V) such carriage is only an ancillary activity in the context of the road haulage operator's overall activities;
(f) the carriage of goods by motor vehicles whose maximum authorised speed does not exceed 40 km/h.
To apply for a Community licence from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport click here.