OREANDA-NEWS. The new Austrian law banning heavy goods vehicles in Tirol, Austria has now been published in the Austrian Official Journal making this new challenge to the free movement of goods a reality. The new traffic ban will enter into force on 1 November 2016. A reasoned opinion produced by the European Commission earlier this year, questioned the compatibility with EU Law of this latest attempt to restrict heavy goods vehicles from the Tirol. Two earlier attempts to introduce such a traffic ban in Tirol in 2003 and 2007 were rejected by the European Court of Justice.

The scientific impact assessment on the traffic ban has already stated that it will not help Tirol meet nitrous oxides emission targets. IRU cannot accept this renewed challenge to the free movement of goods in Austria in any way. IRU is currently preparing an intervention with the European Commission which will call for renewed legal action before the European Court of Justice and for an immediate injunction on the ban.