by UK is introducing new regulations, also for Polish carriers
From January 31, the UK will require an export health certificate (EHC). The requirement applies to mainly to live animals or animal products, but also to plants, fruit and vegetables.
The UK has repeatedly delayed introducing of customs checks on high-risk food imported from the EU. It has now been confirmed that from January 31, certain products from the EU, other EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Switzerland can continue to imported into the UK, provided they have received export health certificates (EHC).
“Brexit has complicated procedures for transporting goods, so it is necessary to follow changes in British law that affect exporters and importers from the EU, including Poland. The current certification procedure is the first step, which will be followed by physical inspections of food imported to the UK. This will require additional time spent at the border”, says Joanna Porath, owner of the AC Porath customs agency, specializing in customs services for the British market.
Health certificates
The biggest change concerna animal products. Health certificates will be required for meat products and any raw milk-based products.
“According to revised customs procedures introduced by the UK, all imported meat and dairy products require prior notification, and only heat-treated dairy products will not require a health certificate. According to other regulations, which are still in effect, imported animals and plants for planting always require health certificates and are subject to inspection”, says Steve Cock, Director of Customs Consultancy The Custom House Ltd.
As regards, fruit and vegetables from the EU, checks will be conducted depending on the risk category. i.e. low, medium and high. In most cases, they will not have to comply with UK trading standards or plant health regulations. However, the British government encourages carriers to check which goods imported into the UK will be subject to inspection. A detailed list of suchgoods can be found on the following pages:
Import risk categories for animal and animal product imports from the EU to Great Britain ⬅
by Traffic disruptions for HGVs on motorways in Italy and Germany
The German A42 motorway has been closed in both directions because of damage detected in a bridge between the Bottrop-Süd and Essen-Nord junctions. The Italian Camelosa viaduct on the A4-A26 has also been closed to vehicles with a MAM of over 19 tonnes.
Germany
The A42 motorway has been closed in both directions because of damage detected in a bridge between the Bottrop-Süd and Essen-Nord junctions. Since there is too much diversion traffic on local routes, Autobahn GmbH asks drivers to use newly designated diversion routes (see the map below). The motorway section might be reopened to car traffic in spring 2024 but HGVs are not expected to be able to use it in the near future.
Italy
After a technical inspection of the structure of the Camelosa viaduct on the 15th kilometer of the A4/A5 Ivrea-Santhià motorway junction, a driving ban has been introduced for vehicles with a MAM above 19 tons on the section between the A4 – A26 Santhià junction and the Albiano d’Ivrea junction, in both directions. Maintenance works are to take place in mid-January, which will involve removing the road surface in the direction of Santhià. As a result, vehicles with a MAM above 3.5 tons will also be prohibited from using this section in both directions.
HGVs coming from the A4 motorway and the A26/A4 Stroppiana – Santhià junction and heading towards Aosta will be diverted to the A4 Turin – Milan motorway in the direction of Turin and on to the A5 Turin – Aosta motorway at the Settimo Torinese junction. HGVs coming from Aosta and heading for Milan/Alessandria/Genoa are advised to continue along the A5 Turin – Aosta motorway towards Turin to reach the A4 motorway to Milan and the A21 motorway to Alessandria and Genoa.
by Austria: driving bans on the A10 before Christmas
The driving ban for heavy goods vehicles with a maximum authorised mass exceeding 7.5 t will be in effect on Friday (December 22) and Saturday (December 23) on the following sections of A 10 motorway:
❌ on Friday, December 22, from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM
a) southbound carriageway (in the direction of Villach) between the Salzburg junction (A 10 / A 1) and the Pongau junction, if the destination is located in Italy or Slovenia or must be reached via Italy or Slovenia, and
b) northbound carriageway (in the direction of Salzburg) between the Rennweg junction and the Golling junction, if the destination is located in Germany or the Czech Republic or must be reached via Germany or the Czech Republic;
❌ on Saturday, December 23, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
a) southbound carriageway (in the direction of Villach) between the Salzburg junction (A 10 / A 1) and the Pongau junction, and
b) northbound carriageway (in the direction of Salzburg) between the Rennweg junction and the Golling junction.
The following journeys are exempt from the driving bans:
1. Transports of slaughter cattle or livestock, mail items and periodicals, supplies of drinks to tourist areas, urgent deliveries to petrol stations, catering establishments and events or repairs of cooling systems, towing services, roadside assistance, assistance in emergencies, medical care, the use of vehicles by road maintenance companies or to maintain road traffic, in road or rail construction, the use of vehicles by public security services, fire brigades, the use of vehicles for garbage collection, waste disposal, to maintain the operation of water treatment plants or the use of vehicles by companies providing regular services, as well as journeys of vehicles used by travelling carnivals (Section 2 (1) Z 42 KFG 1967), incl. teams of lighting and sound engineers travelling to and from the venue, journeys according to § 42 para. 3a StVO, urgent journeys involving lorries, articulated vehicles or trucks with trailers used by the Austrian armed forces or foreign troops staying in Austria by virtue of the Troop Residence Act, BGBI I No. 57/2001, or humanitarian aid transports performed by recognized organizations; journeys associated with the renovation of the tunnels on the A 10 motorway between the Golling and the Werden junctions, as well as and deliveries originating or terminating in the federal state of Salzburg;
2. Journeys carried out exclusively for the purpose of transporting of fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh milk and fresh milk products, fresh meat and fresh meat products, fresh fish and fresh fish products, live fish, eggs, fresh mushrooms, fresh baked goods and confectionery, fresh herbs, potted plants or cut flowers and ready-to-eat food preparations, as well as related empty or return journeys to transport packaging for the above-mentioned groups of goods. Drivers must carry a waybill or a cargo manifest. It must always be possible to check the loading status (quantity) at the beginning and during transport.
3. Journeys performed exclusively to transport goods to or from airports (Section 64 of the Aviation Act) or military airfields that are used for civil aviation purposes in accordance with Section 62 (3) of the Aviation Act;
4. Journeys involving combined rail-road freight transport from the consignor to the nearest technically suitable loading station or from the closest technically suitable unloading station to the recipient and back to the next loading station, provided that a fully completed document can be presented showing that the vehicle or its superstructures (swap bodies, containers) are to be transported by rail or have already been transported; this applies mutatis mutandis to combined water-road freight transport.
by Slovakia: derogation from the HGV driving ban
At the request of ČESMAD Slovakia, the Slovakian Presidium of the Police Force of has granted a general exemption from the driving ban in connection with the upcoming holidays.
On the 24th, 25th, 26th of December, and on the 1st and 6th January 1 and 6, the derogation applies to all heavy goods vehicles traveling on motorways, roads for motor vehicles, 1st class roads and roads used by international traffic, entering Slovakia from certain neighbouring countries and bound for destinations (e.g. the company’s base or the place of unloading) located in Slovakia.
by Czechia: more sections of the D1 motorway with an overtaking ban and higher fines
From the beginning of 2024 there will be more sections of the D1 motorway where lorries will not be allowed to overtake other vehicles.
The ban will be in effect on the motorway sections from Mirošovice (KP 21) to Humpolec (KP 90) and from the Jihlava exit (KP 112) to Velké Meziříčí-west (KP 141), with the exception of uphill lanes, where overtaking will be allowed. As a reminder, in mid-November, the HGV overtaking ban came into force on the section from Humpolec (KP 90) to Jihlava (KP 112) and from Velké Meziříčí-West (KP 146) to Kývalka (KP 182).
From January 1, 2024, the revised Highway Code will come into force, which introduces higher penalties for breaking the ban. Drivers can face fines from CZK 4,500 to 5,500 during a roadside check and up to CZK 25,000 in administrative proceedings. There are also plans to employ VMS boards to limit the use of the left lane by HGVs during emergency situations such as accidents or difficult weather conditions.
by Austria introduces a NEW winter driving ban on local roads
The new driving ban will come into effect from December 23 in the districts of Schwaz, Kufstein and Reutte in Tyrol and will apply to several regional roads and all local roads. The purpose of the ban is to prevent attempts to avoid traffic jams on transit routes.
As a result, drivers will not be able to avoid traffic jams in a given area by turning into local roads, unless they are traveling as part of terminating, originating or local traffic.
❗The driving ban will apply from December 23, 2023 to April 1, 2024 on Saturdays from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and in the Reutte and Kufstein districts also on Sundays and holidays from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The ban applies to all motor vehicles passing through Tyrol, including cars and motorcycles. The ban does not apply to terminating, originating or local traffic.
❌The ban applies on the following road sections in the district of Schwaz:
– L294 Bruckerstraße, from KP 0.020 in the commune of Reith im Alpbachtal to KP 2.320 in the commune of Bruck am Ziller and from the beginning of Zillerstraße in the commune of Bruck am Ziller to the southwest corner of the Gst. No. 1940 in the municipality of Hart im Zillertal (intersection Zillerstraße / L298 Harterstraße).
– L7 Jenbacher Straße (Kasbach) – in the direction of Jenbach.
– Transit bans in the towns of Strass, Schlitters, Fügen-Gagering, Fügen, Uderns, Hart, Bruck im Zillertal.
❌ The ban applies on the following road sections in the district of Kufstein:
– L 211 Unterinntalstraße (Kirchbichl/Langkampfen) towards Kufstein – Except for terminating, originating or local traffic in the district of Kufstein;
– L 211 Unterinntalstraße (Kirchbichl/Langkampfen) towards Mariastein – except for terminating, originating or local traffic in the district of Kufstein;
– L 295 Buchberger Straße (Ebbs) from km 3.0 towards Niederndorf – Except for terminating, originating or local traffic in the commune of Ebbs;
– “Alte Erler Straße” (Niederndorf) after exiting the L 209 towards Niederndorf – except for local traffic in the commune of Niederndorf;
– Municipal road Endach/Kufstein from the roundabout “Kufstein Süd/B173/Krankenhaus” towards the District Hospital Kufstein – except for terminating, originating or local traffic in the town of Kufstein;
– Coming from Eiberg, head towards Kufstein from the intersection at the roundabout Eibergstraße/Gemeindestraße Eibergstraße (B 173-Bayrischer Hof) – except for terminating, originating traffic and residents of Kufstein;
– Entrance road off the B 171 road towards the north – except for terminating, originating traffic and residents of Kufstein;
Traffic lights used for limiting the number of passing lorries are located in the following places:
➔ B 171 Tiroler Straße, KP 1.44 for traffic from Germany (activation of the existing system).
➔ B 172 Walchseestraße, km 18.0 for traffic from Walchsee towards Niederndorf.
➔ B 172 Walchseestraße, km 21.95 for traffic from Germany towards Niederndorf.
➔ B 173 Eibergstraße, km 6.6 for traffic towards Kufstein
❌ The ban applies on the following road sections in the district of Reutte:
– L 288 Pinswanger Straße, from the intersection with L 396 Weißhausstraße (km 6.250 + 35m) towards Pinswang and Pflach;
– L 69 Reuttener Straße from KP 9.750 (around the Vils intersection) towards Pflach to the Wiesbichl roundabout in Pflach;
– L 288–0–A1 access road to Pflach from the junction of the B 179 Fernpassstraße exit (Reutte Nord exit) towards Pflach to the Wiesbichl roundabout in Pflach
All driving bans are included in the traffic information system and are therefore available to sat-nav operators. This is to ensure sat-nav devices calculate routes taking into account these restrictions. In addition, the Tyrolean police and specially trained road supervision authorities will monitor compliance at selected checkpoints.
by Österreich: Winterfahrverbotskalender 2024
Wie bereits in den Vorjahren hat Österreich auch im 2024 auf der A 12 Inntalautobahn und der A 13 Brennerautobahn zusätzliche winterliche (samstags) Fahrverbote für Lkw mit einem zulässigen Gesamtgewicht von mehr als 7,5 t eingeführt.
Das Verbot gilt an allen Samstage vom 13. Januar bis 9. März, in der Zeit von 7:00 bis 15:00 Uhr:
➡️ 13., 20., 27. Januar
➡️3., 10., 17., 24. Februar
➡️ 2., 9. März
Das Verbot gilt wenn das Ziel der Fahrt in Italien oder in einem Land, das über Italien erreicht werden soll, oder in Deutschland oder in einem Land, das über Deutschland erreicht werden soll, liegt.
Ausgenommen von dem in § 1 genannten Fahrverbot sind:
1. Fahrten, die ausschließlich der Beförderung von Schlacht- oder Stechvieh, von Postsendungen sowie periodischen Druckwerken, der Getränkeversorgung in Ausflugsgebieten, der unaufschiebbaren Belieferung von Tankstellen, gastronomischen Betrieben und Veranstaltungen oder Reparaturen an Kühlanlagen, dem Abschleppdienst, der Pannenhilfe, dem Einsatz in Katastrophenfällen, der medizinischen Versorgung, dem Einsatz von Fahrzeugen des Straßenerhalters oder von Fahrzeugen in seinem Auftrag zur Aufrechterhaltung des Straßenverkehrs, dem Straßen- oder Bahnbau, dem Einsatz von Fahrzeugen des öffentlichen Sicherheitsdienstes, der Feuerwehr, der Müllabfuhr, der Entsorgung von Abfällen, dem Betrieb von Kläranlagen oder dem Einsatz von Fahrzeugen eines Linienverkehrsunternehmers zur Aufrechterhaltung des regelmäßigen Linienverkehrs dienen, sowie Fahrten mit Fahrzeugen nach Schaustellerart (§ 2 Abs. 1 Z 42 KFG 1967), Fahrten mit Fahrzeugen der Berufsgruppe der Beleuchter und Beschaller zum und vom Ort der Auftragserfüllung, Fahrten gemäß § 42 Abs. 3a StVO, unaufschiebbare Fahrten mit Lastkraftwagen, Sattelkraftfahrzeugen oder Lastkraftwagen mit Anhängern des Bundesheeres oder ausländischer Truppen, die sich auf Grund des Truppenaufenthaltsgesetzes, BGBl. I Nr. 57/2001, in Österreich aufhalten oder Fahrten von Hilfstransporten anerkannter Organisationen;
2. Fahrten, die ausschließlich der Beförderung von Gütern von oder zu Flughäfen (§ 64 Luftfahrtgesetz) oder Militärflugplätzen, die gemäß § 62 Abs. 3 des Luftfahrtgesetzes für Zwecke der Zivilluftfahrt benützt werden;
3. Fahrten im kombinierten Güterverkehr Schiene-Straße vom Versender bis zum nächstgelegenen technisch geeigneten Verladebahnhof oder vom nächstgelegenen technisch geeigneten Entladebahnhof bis zum Empfänger und zurück zum nächsten Verladebahnhof, sofern ein vollständig ausgefülltes Dokument mitgeführt wird, aus dem hervorgeht, dass das Fahrzeug oder dessen Aufbauten (Wechselbehälter, Container) mit der Eisenbahn befördert werden oder bereits befördert wurden; dies gilt im kombinierten Güterverkehr Wasser-Straße sinngemäß.
by Germany prolongs border checks until at least December 15
Nancy Faeser, German Minister of the Interior, has prolonged checks along the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland until December 15.
The federal police can now continue to use the entire package of stationary and mobile border police measures flexibly, depending on the current situation. The ministry’s spokesman ha sconfirmed that the border checks are an effective and necessary means of preventing illegal immigration. Since October, 3,300 illegal entries have been detected along the Polish-German border.
Bundesinnenministerin @NancyFaeser verlängert die #Grenzkontrollen zu Polen, Tschechien & der Schweiz bis zum 15. Dezember. Die Bundespolizei kann nun weiterhin flexibel, je nach aktueller Lage das gesamte Bündel an stationären & mobilen grenzpolizeilichen Maßnahmen einsetzen.
by Poland once again prolongs controls along the border with Slovakia
Poland’s Minister of the Interior and Administration has decided to prolong checks along the border with Slovakia from December 4 to January 2, 2024.
Border checks will only be continued in the case of travellers entering Poland, who will be able to cross the border at designated places. In response to requests made by residents of the region along the border, traffic restrictions have been implemented at some border crossings. The measure has been introduced to prevent illegal migration from the Balkan route. Travelers are advised to carry travel documents – an ID card or passport.
Until January 2, 2024, the Polish-Slovak border can be crossed at the following points:
17 road border crossings:
• Radoszyce
• Periwinkle
• Muszynka
• Piwniczna-Zdrój – Mnišek nad Popradom
• Jurgów
• Chyżne
• Korbielów
• Zwardoń – Skalité Platforma
• Leluchów – only for citizens of the EU, the EFTA, and their spouses and children
• Konieczna – cannot be used by buses and minibuses, only for citizens of the EU, the EFTA, and their spouses and children
• Niedzica – same as above
• Łysa Polana – same as above
• Chochołów – same as above
• Winiarczykówka – same as above
• Ujsoły – same as above
• Bór – same as above
• Jaworzynka – Čierne –Skalité – same as above.
3 railway border crossings:
• Slate – Palota
• Muszyna – Plaveč
• Zwardoń–Skalité
2 pedestrian border crossings:
• Ożenna – only for citizens of the EU, the EFTA, and their spouses and children.
• Zwardoń – Mýto.
by Closures of the Heinenoord tunnel in the Netherlands
In December the Heinenoord tunnel on the A29 will be closed for 2 weekends and 2 nights. The renovation work will be continued next year.
Closures of the tunnel in the direction of Bergen op Zoom
• from 10:00 PM on Friday, December 1, until 05:00 AM on Monday, December 4;
• from 00:00 to to 05:00 AM on Thursday, December 7;
Diversion routes for traffic towards Bergen op Zoom (north to south)
• transit traffic will be diverted via A15, A16 and A17.
Closures of the tunnel in the direction of Rotterdam
• from 10:00 PM on Thursday, December 7, to 05:00 AM on Friday, December 8;
• from 10:00 PM on Friday, December 15, until 05:00 AM on Monday, December 18;
Diversion routes for traffic towards Rotterdam (from south to north)
• transit traffic will be diverted via A17, A16 and A15
During the closure of the Heinenoord tunnel, the Kil tunnel in the same direction can be used free of charge.
Diversion routes during the December closures of the Heinenoord tunnel ⬇
