International transport and the obligation to update tachographs: delays generate concern, emblematic case of Romania
Starting this year, companies engaged in international transport of goods and people are required to comply with new tachograph regulations, which introduce the requirement to install second-generation smart tachographs for vehicles operating in countries other than the country of registration. This process, known as a “retrofit,” requires companies to retrofit vehicles to meet the deadlines.
Key deadlines
- By Dec. 31, 2024: All vehicles with analog or digital non-intelligent tachographs will have to be equipped with at least a first-generation smart tachograph in order to circulate abroad.
- By August 18, 2025: all vehicles with first generation smart tachographs will have to upgrade to the second generation version (SMART2).
Critical situation in Romania
In Romania, delays are of particular concern. According to data from the national haulers’ association Untrr, only 10,000 of the approximately 60,000 vehicles used in international transport are currently equipped with the new second-generation tachograph, while about 17,000 have the first-generation smart tachograph.
Surveys conducted by Untrr and the Iru show that delays are also substantial in many other European countries: only 6.42 percent of the European fleet was up-to-date with the new tachographs by September 2024. The risk is that a significant number of vehicles will fail to meet the deadlines set by the First Mobility Package.
Requests for extensions and financial support
To address this difficulty, Untrr has requested a two-year extension from Romanian and European authorities. It also proposed the allocation of European funds to help companies cover the costs of retrofit, as Regulation 1054/2020 of the First Mobility Package sets stringent deadlines: by the end of 2024 for non-smart analog and digital tachographs, and August 18, 2025 for first-generation ones.
