The European Commission has referred Bulgaria and Portugal to the Court of Justice of the European Union for not fully transposing EU rules regarding the posting of drivers in the road transport sector. The action follows both countries’ failure to incorporate Directive (EU) 2020/1057 into their national laws by the required deadline of February 2, 2022.
Directive (EU) 2020/1057 establishes specific regulations on posting drivers in road transport and updates enforcement requirements under Directive 2006/22/EC related to social legislation in this sector. According to the Commission, delayed transposition creates obstacles for drivers seeking fair pay and proper rule enforcement, while also affecting operators’ ability to work within a clear legal framework.
“Bulgaria and Portugal remain the only two Member States in breach of the full transposition of the Directive. The Commission considers that the efforts by the authorities have, to date, been insufficient and is therefore referring Bulgaria and Portugal to the Court, requesting to impose financial sanctions,” stated a spokesperson from the European Commission.
The directive aims to protect drivers’ working conditions and ensure fair competition among transport operators by combating illegal employment practices. It introduces harmonised control measures designed for consistent application of social rules across all EU member states.
Further information about infringement procedures can be found on resources such as the EU infringement procedure database and infringements map. Details specific to these cases are available at Infringement procedure Bulgaria (INFR(2022)0196) and Infringement procedure Portugal (INFR(2022)0251).
Anna-Kaisa Itkonen serves as spokesperson for this matter. Anni Juusola is listed as press officer.
