The transport industry is entering a period of exceptionally intense change. New obligations will apply not only to large truck combinations but also to light commercial vehicles used in international transport. G2V2 tachographs , extended SENT system,
digitalisation of documents, road tolls based on CO₂ emissions, ETS2 and the growing shortage of drivers will have a direct impact on costs and work organisation and competitiveness of transport companies.
From 1 July 2026, vehicles with a permissible gross vehicle weight of over 2.5 tonnes and up to 3.5 tonnes used for commercial international goods transport or cabotage in the EU will have to be equipped with second-generation G2V2 smart tachographs .
The change will primarily affect the bus and delivery van sector operating internationally. These vehicles will be subject to driving and rest time rules, and in certain cases also regulations regarding the posting of drivers.
For many companies specializing in light transport, this means entering a regulatory regime similar to that which has been in effect for years for heavy transport. Carriers will face, among other things, the requirement to install tachographs, more accurate working time accounting, more data to archive, inspections, and the need to adapt operational procedures .
Let us recall that for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes the requirement to use new generation tachographs had already entered into force earlier.
The national system for monitoring road and rail freight transport , or SENT, is gradually expanding to cover additional cargo categories. Carriers are responsible for reporting transport, updating data on an ongoing basis, and ensuring the transmission of geolocation data via a locator or external positioning system.
From 17 March 2026, the catalogue of goods covered by SENT has been extended to include, among others, selected articles of clothing and clothing accessories from CN chapters 61 and 62, used clothing and other used articles CN 6309, and footwear from CN chapter 64, excluding some footwear.
The regulations apply mainly in the following cases:
The transport of these groups of goods requires prior registration of the company or updating of the business entity's data on the Electronic Tax and Customs Services Platform, i.e. PUESC.
The European Union is consistently moving towards the digitalization of transport documentation. One of the key tools in this transformation is eFTI , or electronic freight transport information .
This concept covers a unified set of data that is intended to enable the efficient exchange of information required by regulations, primarily in relations between entrepreneurs and the control authorities of EU countries.
A significant date for the market will be 9 July 2027. From that moment on, EU Member States will be obliged to accept certain transport information in electronic form if it is transmitted via certified eFTI platforms .
This doesn't mean an immediate ban on paper documents, but it will significantly accelerate the transportation industry's transition to digital data flow. Electronic documents can simplify carriers' work, reduce bureaucracy, speed up post-delivery settlements, and simplify archiving.
An integral part of this digital ecosystem is also the e-CMR, the electronic version of the international consignment note . Although this solution is now legally possible, it is still used by a relatively small portion of the market in Poland.
For transport companies, it will be crucial to adapt TMS systems, train drivers and forwarders, and organize internal document circulation procedures.
The European Union is accelerating the implementation of a road pricing model linked to vehicle CO₂ emissions. In March 2026, the EU Council worked to clarify the rules for the so-called Eurovignette , including in the context of new emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles, which will come into effect on July 1, 2026.
In practice, this means that a vehicle's CO₂ emission class will have an increasingly significant impact on the costs of using road infrastructure in Europe. It's no longer enough to look solely at Euro standards, such as Euro VI. CO₂ emission parameters and the way they are linked to road toll rates in individual countries will also become increasingly important for transport profitability.
Vehicles with less favorable CO₂ emissions ratings, in particular, could become more expensive to operate. This also applies to situations where a truck meets current emissions standards but does not perform favorably in the carbon dioxide emissions classification system.
For carriers, this means a shift in their approach to fleet planning. When purchasing a used truck, businesses should no longer rely solely on purchase price, fuel consumption, or the traditional Euro standard. The vehicle's projected CO₂ rating and related future toll rates will become increasingly important.
The new ETS2 emissions trading system will cover, among other things, fuels used in road transport. The system is to operate on an upstream model , meaning that formal obligations will primarily rest with fuel suppliers, not directly with transport companies.
This doesn't mean, however, that carriers won't feel the effects of the new regulations. Costs arising from ETS2 may be passed on to end users of fuels, including transport companies. According to current information from the European Commission, the ETS2 system is expected to be fully operational by 2028.
For carriers, this is another cost risk factor worth considering today. This will be particularly important for long-term contracts where rates do not include a fuel adjustment mechanism or do not anticipate changes resulting from new regulatory burdens.
Transport companies should therefore analyze fuel cost increases and secure their contracts accordingly. Otherwise, even profitable contracts today may prove significantly less profitable in the coming years.
We wrote more about the ETS system in the 68th issue of Informator Cars (Q4 2025).
European road transport is facing a serious workforce crisis. According to IRU data, the European market already faces a shortage of approximately 500,000 professional drivers, a problem exacerbated by the aging of existing workers and a lack of new recruits.
In Poland, wages alone aren't always the barrier. A study conducted among drivers by the Truckers Life Foundation shows that their median salary increased to approximately PLN 9,000 net in 2025. Although professional drivers' salaries are relatively high compared to many professions, the industry still struggles to recruit new employees.
In response to these challenges, the European Commission and industry organizations are increasingly pointing to the need to streamline the process of recruiting qualified drivers from third countries. This includes more transparent procedures, clear rules for the recognition of qualifications, and more effective legalization of work.
For transport companies, especially those in the SME sector, recruiting staff is becoming a strategic issue. Efficient work legalization, training, language barriers, document verification for non-EU drivers, and building their loyalty will have an increasingly significant impact on business stability.
