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Aug 17, 2020 at 7:00 AMThe AG Raw Wood e. V. (AGR) calls for a partial, time-limited suspension of the cabotage ban. The existing transport capacities are insufficient for the still high volume of damaged wood. The cabotage ban should apply during the cleanup operations.
(PressBox/Berlin) In recent weeks, targeted inspections by the Federal Office for Goods Transport (BAG) have revealed violations of the existing cabotage regulations. The Working Group Raw Wood (AGR) criticizes these violations but sees them as symptomatic of the unresolved problems in the forest: Given the still high volume of damaged wood, there is a lack of transport capacities. This provides the basis for a renewed lifting of the cabotage ban, which should be time-limited and apply exclusively to the clearance of calamity areas.
The violations of the cabotage ban, which has been in effect again since this year, give reason to reassess the situation. In many forest areas, there are still large quantities of damaged wood, which provide an ideal basis for the spread of harmful insects. To quickly clear the beetle-infested wood, affected companies were allowed to rely on foreign transporters during a temporary lifting of the cabotage ban last year. The current cabotage regulation stipulates that after a loaded border crossing, three additional transports may be undertaken within a week before the truck returns to its country of origin. Taking this regulation into account, especially companies near the border also purchase wood in neighboring countries.
High Demand for Wood Transport
The special regulation that allowed the unrestricted use of foreign freight forwarders for calamity management expired on December 31, 2019, even though there were no signs of a relaxation of the situation in the forests at that time. The gain in capacities from foreign transporters represents a valuable, temporary safety net from the AGR’s perspective, especially when the quantities of damaged wood cannot be managed with local transporters. For this reason, the AGR reached out early to the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMVI) with a corresponding request. Against the backdrop of the ongoing tense situation, the unannounced expiration of the special regulation caused significant planning uncertainties for companies in the industry. While traditional freight operations had to endure significant restrictions due to the economic crisis, the demand for wood transport, especially in areas with significant forest damage, remains high.
In addition to a temporary lifting of the cabotage regulation, exceptions to the Sunday and holiday driving ban also represent a welcome tool in combating calamities. During the Corona pandemic, the BMVI decided on a comprehensive lifting, which will expire at the end of August. Sources from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) have indicated that this regulation is also expected to be extended for wood transport until the end of the year.
Photo: © AG Raw Wood
