EU operators transporting goods into the UK
Advice for organisations and people using road transport operators based abroad to transport goods into, out of and within the UK.
Overview
This advice is for organisations and people using road transport operators based abroad to transport goods into, out of and within the UK. Operators of goods transport vehicles may also wish to seek advice from the licensing authorities in their home country.
EU-based operators of goods vehicles, licensed to transport goods by road, can be used for most international goods transport into and out of the UK. In some circumstances, EU operators can also perform additional journeys within the UK known as cabotage. EU operators making journeys in the UK are principally governed by the terms of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Operators of goods vehicles based in non-EU foreign countries can also undertake road transport in the UK, where an agreement is in place, provided that they adhere to the terms of that agreement.
Read the section of this guidance on Other (non-EU) foreign operators.
Operators of goods vehicles are responsible for ensuring their drivers have the appropriate visas and other documents to come to the UK.
Use this tool to check if you need a UK visa.
EU operators transporting goods into the UK
EU-based operators who wish to transport goods for hire or reward to the UK from the EU, can do so using their EU Community Licence. Depending on the journey being made, there may be other requirements the operator will need to fulfil, such as holding an ECMT permit.
EU Community Licence
A standard EU Community Licence is valid for the transport of goods as follows.
Bilateral transports
Bilateral transports for the carriage of goods between any EU member state and the UK, regardless of which EU country the operator is established in. For example, a journey between Belgium and the UK, made by an operator based in Romania.
Transit movements
Transit movements across the UK between:
- EU member states, for example, between Italy and Ireland, crossing the UK between the ports of Dover and Liverpool
- EU member states, for example, Ireland and the non-EU countries of Switzerland, Liechtenstein or Norway
No additional permits are required for these bilateral and transit movements.
EU Community Licences are issued under Regulation (EC) 1072/2009.
Cabotage
Cabotage is the transport of goods between 2 places in the same country (for example, between London and Manchester) by an operator based in a different country (for example, France).
EU operators have limited rights to conduct cabotage journeys in the UK.
EU operators may only conduct cabotage journeys after arriving laden into the UK and may only make 2 cabotage movements within 7 days of arriving and unloading in the UK.
Once the vehicle has made 2 cabotage movements it must leave the UK. It can do so either empty or laden, following the collection of a further load to take back to the EU.
Cabotage example
A French operator may:
- arrive laden into the port of Dover (load 1) – this is an inbound bilateral movement
- unload goods load 1 in Dover and pick up goods (load 2)
- transport load 2 from Dover to Liverpool and unload (cabotage movement 1)
- travel empty from Liverpool to Manchester – this is not counted as a cabotage movement
- pick up goods (load 3)
- transport load 3 from Manchester to Southampton and unload (cabotage movement 2), completing this within 7 days of unloading in Dover
- return to France, either empty having dropped off load 3 or laden (load 4), having picked up a further load in Southampton – this is an outbound bilateral movement
The UK has no ‘cooling-off period’, which would prevent a vehicle from immediately returning to the UK to make further trips.
If a vehicle arrives empty in the UK, it may only perform a single bilateral movement to collect goods and directly return to the EU.
Empty vehicle example
A French operator in an empty goods vehicle may travel by ferry from Calais to Dover, travel to collect goods in London, before returning directly to an EU member state and unloading the collected goods.
Since 24 December 2022 when The Drivers’ Hours, Tachographs, International Road Haulage and Licensing of Operators (Amendment) Regulations 2022 came into effect, EU operators are not allowed to undertake combined transport, or triangular transport using their Community Licence alone.
Combined transport
Combined transport involves certain types of intermodal transport where goods are moved in the same loading unit or vehicle using 2 or more modes of transport. For example, an unaccompanied trailer with a load or container is transported from Esbjerg to Immingham by ship and is then moved by road to Scunthorpe.
EU operators may not conduct combined transport legs between 2 places in the UK, other than by using the standard right of cabotage described previously.
The restrictions to combined transport do not include powered goods vehicles travelling between the EU and UK on roll-on/roll-off ferries or Eurotunnel services. EU operators are still allowed to transport goods to and from the UK by heavy goods vehicles and accompanied trailers using these services.
Triangular traffic solely using an EU Community Licence
Using a Community Licence to conduct ‘triangular traffic’ between the UK and another non-EU country is not allowed. This means an EU operator may not pick up goods in the UK and travel to a non-EU country (for example, Switzerland or Norway) to drop off these goods if they only have a Community Licence.
EU operators may conduct ‘triangular traffic’ if they hold an ECMT permit, provided the other non-EU country is a member of the ECMT system.
ECMT permits
EU operators may conduct ‘triangular traffic’ if they hold a permit issued by the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT).
Example
An EU-based operator would require an ECMT permit to transport goods between the UK and Switzerland or between the UK and Norway.
ECMT permits allow operators to transport most types of goods (or drive an empty vehicle) through ECMT member countries.
There are limits on the number of ECMT permits available, with each country that is a member of the system having its own allocation.
EU and other foreign operators should seek further information (including criteria and any fees) about the application process for ECMT permits from their own country’s licensing authority or the competent authority that is responsible for issuing the permits.
EU operators may not use ECMT permits to travel through the UK, or another ECMT member country, to countries that are not part of the ECMT system. For example, an ECMT permit cannot be used to access Morocco or Kazakhstan, as neither are members of the ECMT scheme.
Read separate guidance about ECMT member countries.
ECMT international removal permits are also available.
Posting declarations
When their drivers use heavy goods vehicles to transport goods between 2 points in the UK (cabotage), EU operators must declare the details of their journey on the EU posting declaration portal.
This is known as making a ‘posting declaration’.
EU operators undertaking cabotage in the UK must follow the same ‘posting declarations’ rules as UK operators undertaking cabotage in the EU.
Read separate guidance on the rules and requirements for ‘posting declarations’.
Other (non-EU) foreign operators
Foreign operators based outside the EU can, if based in an ECMT member country, access the UK using an ECMT permit for international transports. They can also access the UK under the terms of bilateral agreements the UK has with other countries in Europe and beyond.
Bilateral permits for some non-EU foreign operators
For some types of journeys to and through the UK, permits are required for operators from some non-EU countries with which the UK has bilateral road transport agreements. These countries are:
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Russia, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine.
Operators from these countries may need a bilateral permit to transport goods to or through the UK, depending on:
- the size of the vehicle
- the nature of the goods being carried
Most transport of goods to or through the UK by goods vehicles based in Turkey and Ukraine does not require a permit.
Most transport of goods using goods vehicles based in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Morocco and Tunisia does require a permit.
Goods vehicles based in Belarus and Russia are currently restricted in their ability to reach the UK because of the conflict in Ukraine.
Operators should seek further information about bilateral permit requirements and applying for permits from their own country’s competent authority.
Permit-free arrangements
The UK currently has bilateral agreements with the following countries, which do not involve the use of physical permits:
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, Kosovo, Liechtenstein (party to the UK-Swiss agreement), Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Switzerland.
Operators from these countries can find further information about individual bilateral agreements on the UK’s treaty guidance page or from their own country’s competent authority.
Copies of the agreements can also be provided on request by contacting the UK International Road Haulage Permits Office.
Email: irhp@dvsa.gov.uk
Telephone: +44(0)20 8158 0250
Countries with which the UK does not have arrangements
Operators from countries with which the UK does not have arrangements will need to apply for a licence to transport goods to or through the UK.
Operators in this position should contact the Office of the Traffic Commissioner: tcco@otc.gov.uk