EU Mobility Package: the complete carrier's compliance guide (2026)

The EU Mobility Package is a set of three regulations — Regulation (EU) 2020/1054 , Regulation (EU) 2020/1055 , and Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 — adopted in August 2020 that rewrite the rules governing road transport across the EU, covering driving hours, weekly rest, cabotage, posting of drivers, and tachographs. From 2026-07-01, the package extends to vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes used in international transport: a survey by IRU and trans.info found that 88% of the affected cross-border LCV fleet still needs a compliant tachograph unit installed, making this the most urgent compliance deadline carriers face right now. This guide covers all five pillars of the Mobility Package — what changed, what you must do, and where enforcement risk is highest.

What is the EU Mobility Package and why does it matter for carriers?

The EU Mobility Package I, formally adopted in August 2020 and phased into application from 2021, is the largest overhaul of EU road transport social legislation in two decades. It updates the rules governing how long a driver may drive, where they must rest, how many domestic operations a foreign carrier may perform in a host country, how drivers sent temporarily to another member state must be declared, and what recording equipment vehicles must carry.

The package matters because it is enforced at roadside across all 27 EU member states, with the European Labour Authority (ELA) coordinating joint cross-border inspection campaigns. Non-compliance risks fines, vehicle immobilisation, and — for serious or repeated infringements — licence suspension.

The five pillars this guide covers are:

1. Driving hours and rest times
2. Weekly rest away from the vehicle
3. Cabotage (domestic transport for hire or reward performed by a non-resident carrier in a host country)
4. Posting of drivers (temporary assignment of a driver to work in another EU member state)
5. Smart tachograph requirements

The full Mobility Package I overview is maintained by the European Commission.

What changed on driving and rest times under the Mobility Package?

Regulation (EU) 2020/1054 amends Regulation (EC) 561/2006 and introduced three significant practical changes.

Ferry and Channel Tunnel crossings. The 10-hour extended daily driving limit, previously allowed once per week, may now be applied twice in a week where the driver accompanies a vehicle on a ferry or train crossing of at least one hour. This gives operators on UK–continent and Scandinavian routes additional flexibility.

Multi-manning clarification. In a double-crewed vehicle, the second driver's first hour in the passenger seat does not count as driving time, removing an ambiguity that had produced inconsistent enforcement.

Return-home obligation. Carriers must organise schedules so each driver can return to the employer's operational centre or home at least once every four consecutive weeks to take a regular or compensatory weekly rest.

For a full operational summary, see the Logifie guide to EU driving hours and rest periods .

Weekly rest out of the cab: how carriers must comply

The prohibition on taking regular weekly rest in the vehicle is one of the most operationally disruptive rules in the Mobility Package. Under Regulation (EU) 2020/1054:

• A regular weekly rest of at least 45 hours must not be taken in the vehicle. The driver must have suitable accommodation — with adequate sleeping and sanitary facilities — paid for by the employer.
• A shortened weekly rest of at least 24 hours may be taken in the cab, provided the vehicle is parked at a secure and approved truck park with appropriate sleeping facilities.
• Compensation rule. A driver who takes two consecutive shortened weekly rests must attach the total compensatory time to a rest of at least 45 hours taken before the end of the third week following those shortened rests.

Operator checklist:

• Maintain a hotel booking or approved accommodation record for every regular weekly rest taken away from the driver's home.
• Document reimbursements: enforcement officers may request proof that accommodation was paid by the employer.
• Verify that any truck park used for shortened weekly rest is certified in the relevant member state.
• Review schedule templates to ensure the four-week return-home obligation is met.

Cabotage under the Mobility Package: the three-operation rule explained

Cabotage — domestic transport for hire or reward performed by a non-resident carrier in a host country — was already regulated under Regulation (EC) 1072/2009. Regulation (EU) 2020/1055 tightened the rules from 2022-02-21.

The rule in practice:

1. A carrier completes an incoming international loaded journey into a host member state.
2. Within seven days of the last unloading, the carrier may perform up to three cabotage operations in that member state.
3. After the last cabotage operation, a mandatory four-day cooling-off period applies. The same vehicle must not perform any cabotage in the same member state during those four days.

The cooling-off count starts at 0:00 on the day following the last unloading and ends at 23:59 of the fourth subsequent day. Re-entering a member state with the same vehicle before the cooling-off expires constitutes an infringement.

For a country-by-country breakdown, see the Logifie cabotage rules guide .

Posting of drivers: declarations, pay parity and administrative obligations

A driver is "posted" — within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2020/1057 — when performing cabotage or cross-trade operations in a host EU member state. The posting rules apply from 2022-02-02.

Declaration obligations. Before the posting begins, the carrier must submit a posting declaration through the IMI public interface (the EU's Internal Market Information system). Declarations cover one day to six months. The driver must carry the QR code linked to the declaration and present it on request.

Required documents (available within eight weeks of a formal authority request):

• The posting declaration and employment contract summary
• Payslips covering the posting period
• Timesheets and proof of payment

All documents must be provided in the host country's official language on request.

Pay parity. Host-country minimum wage rules — including applicable bonuses, allowances, and universally applicable collective agreements — apply from day one with no grace period. For detail, see the Logifie guide to truck driver daily allowances in Europe .

Tachograph requirements: smart tachograph V2 retrofit deadlines

The smart tachograph of the second version (the DTCO 4.1 family from VDO and equivalent units from Stoneridge) is now mandatory for all HGVs in international transport and — from 2026-07-01 — for LCVs in the same category. The governing regulation is Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1228.

Deadlines by vehicle type:

Key points:

• The obligation applies only to vehicles in international road transport or cabotage. Purely domestic operations are not affected.
• The unit must be installed by an approved tachograph workshop. Each driver requires a valid smart driver card.
• Driver card data must be downloaded at least every 28 days; vehicle unit data at least every 90 days. A minimum of 56 days of driving data must be available for roadside inspection.

For a full guide to digital tachograph management, see the Logifie tachograph 101 guide .

The July 2026 LCV extension: what van fleet operators must do now

From 2026-07-01, vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes maximum authorised mass used for international road transport or cabotage fall under the full scope of the Mobility Package. In practice this means:

• Tachograph installation required. Smart tachograph V2 unit plus a smart driver card for every driver.
• Driving hours apply. Maximum 9 hours daily (extendable to 10 hours, not more than twice per week), 45-minute break after 4.5 hours, 56-hour weekly and 90-hour fortnightly driving limits.
• Weekly rest rules apply. The cab rest prohibition extends to vans: regular weekly rest ≥45 hours must not be taken in the vehicle.
• Posting declarations required. Vans performing cabotage or cross-trade must be covered by IMI declarations from 2026-07-01.

According to the IRU and trans.info survey , 88% of the affected LCV fleet had not yet installed a compliant unit and 46.5% of operators said they were not ready. Workshop capacity is constrained and installation has lead time. Book appointments now. The IRU has published dedicated guidance for van fleet operators.

Mobility Package penalties by country: fines, licence risk and enforcement trends

The European Labour Authority coordinates cross-border enforcement. A week of joint inspections in November 2025 across 13 member states produced over EUR 172,000 in fines; nearly 1,200 enforcement officers were trained across EU and EEA countries in 2024–2025.

Approximate maximum fines for serious infringements by country — treat as indicative upper bounds; exact amounts are set by national legislation and vary by infringement category.

Frequently asked questions

What is the EU Mobility Package?

The EU Mobility Package I consists of three regulations adopted in August 2020 — (EU) 2020/1054 on driving and rest times, (EU) 2020/1055 on market access and cabotage, and (EU) 2020/1056 on electronic freight transport information — applied in phases from 2021. It is the most significant overhaul of EU road transport social legislation in two decades.

Does the Mobility Package apply to vans under 3.5 tonnes?

From 2026-07-01, yes. Vans with a maximum authorised mass between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes used in international road transport or cabotage fall under the full scope of the Mobility Package: tachograph, driving hours, weekly rest, and posting of drivers. Vans operating exclusively in domestic traffic are not affected.

What are the cabotage rules under the Mobility Package?

A carrier may perform up to three cabotage operations in a host member state within seven days of completing an inbound international journey. After the last operation, a four-day cooling-off period applies: the same vehicle may not perform any cabotage in that member state during those four days. This rule has applied since 2022-02-21.

When does the LCV tachograph requirement come into force?

The requirement for LCVs between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes in international transport to carry a smart tachograph V2 takes effect on 2026-07-01. With 88% of the affected fleet not yet compliant, operators must book workshop appointments without delay.

What are the penalties for non-compliance with the Mobility Package?

Penalties vary by member state but can reach EUR 15,000 per infringement in Germany and France. Additional consequences include vehicle immobilisation and — for repeated serious infringements — suspension of the Community licence. EU cross-border enforcement means a fine issued in one country can be pursued in the vehicle's country of registration.

Do Mobility Package rules apply to UK carriers?

No. UK-registered carriers are not subject to EU Regulation (EC) 1072/2009. UK–EU road transport is governed by the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which permits two cross-trade movements or one cabotage operation per journey. UK operators should verify TCA-specific rules with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

How does the posting of drivers rule affect my fleet?

Any driver performing cabotage or cross-trade in an EU member state other than their normal work base must be covered by an IMI posting declaration submitted before the posting begins. Host-country minimum wage rules apply from day one. Missing declarations are a primary enforcement target in France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

What is the driver return home requirement?

Regulation (EU) 2020/1054 requires carriers to organise schedules so each driver can return to the employer's operational centre or their home at least once every four consecutive weeks, to take a regular or compensatory weekly rest of at least 45 hours. Maintaining records of actual return dates is best practice.

To understand how compliance-ready fleet management tools can reduce the administrative burden of the Mobility Package, speak to our team about compliance-ready freight management .