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3.2.2012 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
32/1
I
(Legislative acts)
REGULATIONS
REGULATION (EU) No 70/2012 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 18 January 2012
on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of goods by road
(recast)
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
(4)
It is therefore appropriate to ensure that the regional
EUROPEAN UNION,
origin and destination of transport within the Union is
described on the same basis as national transport, and to
provide a link between the carriage of goods and vehicle
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
journeys by measuring the degree of utilisation of
Union, and in particular Article 338(1) thereof,
vehicles carrying out this transport.
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
(5) In
accordance
with
the
principle
of
subsidiarity,
the
creation of common statistical standards allowing the
production of harmonised information can be better
After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national
achieved only at Union level, while data will be
parliaments,
collected in each Member State under the authority of
the bodies and institutions in charge of compiling official
statistics.
Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure ( 1 ),
(6) Regulation
(EC) No
223/2009 of the European
Whereas:
Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on
European statistics ( 3 ) provides a reference framework
for the provisions laid down by this Regulation, in
(1) Council
Regulation
(EC)
No
1172/98
of
25
May
1998
particular those concerning access to the sources of
on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of goods
administrative data, the cost-effectiveness of available
by road ( 2 ) has been substantially amended several times.
resources and statistical confidentiality.
Since further amendments are to be made, that Regu
lation should be recast in the interests of clarity.
(7) Communication
of
individual
data,
once
rendered
anonymous, is necessary in order to estimate the
(2)
In order to carry out the tasks entrusted to it in the
overall accuracy of the results.
context of the common transport policy, the
Commission should have at its disposal comparable,
reliable, synchronised, regular and comprehensive stat
(8) It
is
important
to
ensure
that
statistical
information
is
istical data on the scale and development of the
adequately disseminated.
carriage of goods by road by means of vehicles registered
in the Union, and on the degree of utilisation of vehicles
carrying out this transport.
(9)
In view of the specific geographical situation of Malta, its
short-range road transport journeys, its limited road
network and the disproportional burden that collecting
(3) It
is
necessary
to
compile
comprehensive
regional
stat
such data would cause to the Maltese authorities, a dero
istics with regard to both the carriage of goods and
gation should be granted to Malta.
vehicle journeys.
(10) In
order
to
take
account
of
economic
and
technical
( 1 ) Position of the European Parliament of 1 December 2011 (not yet
developments, the power to adopt acts in accordance
published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of
12 December 2011.
( 2 ) OJ L 163, 6.6.1998, p. 1.
( 3 ) OJ L 87, 31.3.2009, p. 164.

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L 32/2
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
3.2.2012
with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
Article 2
European Union should be delegated to the Commission
in respect of updating Part 1 of Annex I, except for any
Definitions
modifications to the optional nature of the required
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions
information, and adapting Annexes II to VII. It is of
shall apply:
particular importance that the Commission carry out
appropriate consultations during its preparatory work,
including at expert level. The Commission, when
(a) ‘carriage of goods by road’: all transport of goods by means
preparing and drawing-up delegated acts, should ensure
of a goods road transport vehicle;
a simultaneous, timely and appropriate transmission of
relevant documents to the European Parliament and to
(b) ‘road transport vehicle’: a road vehicle fitted with an engine
the Council.
whence it derives its sole means of propulsion, which is
normally used for carrying persons or goods by road, or
(11) In
order
to
ensure
uniform
conditions
for
the
implemen
for drawing, on the road, vehicles used for the carriage of
tation of this Regulation, implementing powers should be
persons or goods;
conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be
exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU)
(c) ‘road vehicle for the transport of goods’: a road vehicle
No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the
designed exclusively or primarily to carry goods (lorry,
Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules
trailer, semi-trailer);
and general principles concerning mechanisms for
control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise
of implementing powers (
(d) ‘goods road transport vehicle’: any single road transport

1 ),
vehicle, or combination of road vehicles, namely road
train or articulated vehicle, designed to carry goods;
HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
(e) ‘lorry’:
a
rigid
road
vehicle
designed
exclusively
or
primarily
Article 1
to carry goods;
Subject matter and scope
1. Each
Member
State
shall
compile
statistics
for
the
Union
(f) ‘road tractor’: a road transport vehicle designed exclusively
on the carriage of goods by road by means of goods road
or primarily to haul other road vehicles which are not
transport vehicles which are registered in that Member State,
power-driven (mainly semi-trailers);
and on the journeys made by such vehicles.
(g) ‘trailer’: a road vehicle for the transport of goods designed
2. This
Regulation
shall
not
apply
to
the
carriage
of
goods
to be hauled by a road transport vehicle;
by road by means of:
(h) ‘semi-trailer’: a road vehicle for the transport of goods with
(a) goods road transport vehicles whose authorised weight or
no front axle so designed that part of the vehicle and a
dimensions exceed the limits normally permitted in the
substantial part of its loaded weight rest on the road
Member States concerned;
tractor;
(b) agricultural vehicles, military vehicles and vehicles belonging
(i) ‘articulated vehicle’: a road tractor coupled to a semi-trailer;
to central or local public administrations, with the exception
of goods road transport vehicles belonging to public under
takings, and in particular railway undertakings.
(j) ‘road train’: a goods road transport vehicle coupled to a
trailer or an articulated vehicle with a further trailer
attached;
Each Member State may exclude from the scope of this Regu
lation goods road transport vehicles whose load capacity or
maximum permissible weight is lower than a certain limit.
(k) ‘registered’: the state of having been entered in a register
of
This limit may not exceed a load capacity of 3,5 tonnes or
road transport vehicles, kept by an official body in a
maximum permissible weight of 6 tonnes in the case of
Member State, whether or not the registration is accom
single motor vehicles.
panied by the issue of a registration plate.
3. This
Regulation
shall
not
apply
to
Malta,
so
long
as
the
In the case of carriage by means of a combination of road
number of Maltese-registered goods road transport vehicles
transport vehicles, namely road train or articulated vehicle,
licensed to engage in the international carriage of goods by
in which the goods road transport vehicle and the trailer or
road does not exceed 400 vehicles. For that purpose, Malta
semi-trailer are registered in different countries, the
shall submit annually to Eurostat the number of goods road
complete vehicle shall be deemed to be registered in the
transport vehicles licensed to engage in the international
country where the goods road transport vehicle is regis
carriage of goods by road at the latest by the end of March
tered;
following the year to which the number of goods road
transport vehicles relates.
(l) ‘load capacity’: maximum weight of goods declared
permissible by the competent authority of the country of
( 1 ) OJ L 55, 28.2.2011, p. 13.
registration of the vehicle.

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EN
3.2.2012 Official
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European
Union L
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When the goods road transport vehicle is a road train
For the purpose of the first paragraph, the Commission shall, by
made up of a lorry with trailer, the load capacity of the
means of implementing acts, adopt detailed technical rules
road train is the sum of the load capacities of the lorry and
regarding the precision of the statistical data required. Those
the trailer;
implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the
examination procedure referred to in Article 9(2).
(m) ‘maximum permissible weight’: total weight of the vehicle
(or vehicle combination) when stationary and ready for the
Article 5
road and of the weight of the load declared permissible by
the competent authority of the country of registration of
Transmission of statistical results to Eurostat
the vehicle;
1. Member
States
shall
transmit
to
Eurostat
every
quarter
duly verified individual data corresponding to the variables
(n) ‘Eurostat’: the Commission department responsible for
referred to in Article 3 and listed in Annex I, without indicating
carrying out the tasks incumbent on the Commission in
the name, address or registration number.
the field of the production of Union statistics.
Such transmission shall, where appropriate, include statistical
Article 3
data relating to previous quarters for which the data transmitted
Data collection
were provisional.
1. Member
States
shall
compile
statistical
data
relating
to
the
following areas:
2. The
Commission
shall,
by
means
of
implementing
acts,
adopt the arrangements for transmitting the data referred to in
paragraph 1, including, where appropriate, the statistical tables
(a) vehicle;
based on those data. Those implementing acts shall be adopted
in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in
(b) journey;
Article 9(2).
(c) goods.
3. The
transmission
of
the
data
referred
to
in
paragraph
1,
shall take place within 5 months of the end of each quarterly
2. The
statistical
variables
in
each
area,
their
definition
and period of observation.
the levels within the classification used for their breakdown are
set out in Annexes I to VII.
The first transmission shall cover the first quarter of 1999.
3. When
determining
the
method
to
be
used
for
compiling
statistical data, Member States shall refrain from carrying out
Article 6
any formalities at frontiers between Member States.
Dissemination of statistical results
4. The
Commission
shall
be
empowered
to
adopt,
where Statistical results in respect of the carriage of goods by road
necessary, delegated acts in accordance with Article 8
shall be disseminated no later than 12 months after the end of
concerning the updating of Part 1 of Annex I, solely in order
the period to which the results relate.
to take account of economic and technical developments,
except for any modifications to the optional nature of the
The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, adopt
required information.
rules on the dissemination of statistical results in respect of the
carriage of goods by road, including the structure and content
The Commission shall also be empowered to adopt, where
of the results to be disseminated. Those implementing acts shall
necessary, delegated acts in accordance with Article 8
be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure
concerning the adaptation of Annexes II to VII to take
referred to in Article 9(2).
account of economic and technical developments.
Article 7
In exercising its power pursuant to this paragraph, the
Commission shall ensure that any delegated acts adopted do
Reports
not impose significant additional administrative burdens on
1. Member
States
shall
forward
to
Eurostat,
on
or
before
the
the Member States and on the respondents.
date on which the first quarterly information is forwarded, a
report on the methods used in compiling statistical data.
Article 4
Precision of statistical results
Member States shall also forward to Eurostat details of any
substantial changes in the methods used to collect the statistical
Member States shall ensure that their methods for the collection
data.
and processing of statistical data are designed to ensure that the
statistical results transmitted pursuant to this Regulation are
sufficiently precise so as to enable the Commission to have at
2. Member
States
shall
provide
Eurostat
with
information
its disposal comparable, reliable, synchronised, regular and
each year on sample sizes, non-response rates and, in the
comprehensive statistical data, whilst taking account of the
form of standard error or confidence intervals, the reliability
structural characteristics of road transport in the Member States.
of the main statistical results.

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L 32/4
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Official Journal of the European Union
3.2.2012
3. By
31
December
2014
and
every
3
years
thereafter,
the 5. A
delegated
act
adopted
pursuant
to
Article
3(4)
shall
Commission shall submit a report on the implementation of
enter into force only if no objection has been expressed
this Regulation to the European Parliament and to the Council.
either by the European Parliament or by the Council within a
That report shall evaluate in particular the quality of the stat
period of 2 months of notification of that act to the European
istical data transmitted, the data collection methods as well as
Parliament and to the Council or if, before the expiry of that
the administrative burdens on the Member States and on the
period, the European Parliament and the Council have both
respondents. The report shall, if appropriate, be accompanied by
informed the Commission that they will not object. That
proposals for modifying the list of variables, taking into account
period shall be extended by 2 months at the initiative of the
the findings of related projects, in particular those on air
European Parliament or of the Council.
pollution emissions caused by the carriage of goods by road.
Article 8
Article 9
Exercise of the delegation
Committee procedure
1. The
power
to
adopt
the
delegated
acts
is
conferred
on
the 1. The
Commission
shall
be
assisted
by
the
European
Stat
Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article.
istical System Committee established by Regulation (EC)
No 223/2009. That committee shall be a committee within
2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in
the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.
Article 3(4) shall be conferred on the Commission for a
period of 5 years from 23 February 2012. The Commission
2. Where
reference
is
made
to
this
paragraph,
Article
5
of
shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power
Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.
not later than 9 months before the end of the 5-year period.
The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of
an identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the
Article 10
Council opposes such extension not later than 3 months
before the end of each period.
Repeal
Regulation (EC) No 1172/98 is repealed.
3. The
delegation
of
power
referred
to
in
Article
3(4)
may
be
revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the
Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation
References to the repealed Regulation shall be construed as
of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the
references to this Regulation and shall be read in accordance
day following the publication of the decision in the Official
with the correlation table in Annex IX.
Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified
therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts
already in force.
Article 11
Entry into force
4. As
soon
as
it
adopts
a
delegated
act,
the
Commission
shall
notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the
This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following
Council.
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Strasbourg, 18 January 2012.
For the European Parliament
For the Council
The President
The President
M. SCHULZ
N. WAMMEN

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EN
3.2.2012 Official
Journal
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European
Union L
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ANNEXES
Annex I
LIST OF VARIABLES AND METHODOLOGICAL APPENDIX
Annex II
CLASSIFICATION OF AXLE CONFIGURATIONS
Annex III
CLASSIFICATION OF TYPES OF JOURNEY
Annex IV
CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS
Annex V
CLASSIFICATION OF CATEGORIES OF DANGEROUS GOODS
Annex VI
CLASSIFICATION OF CARGO TYPES
Annex VII
CODING OF PLACES OF LOADING AND UNLOADING BY COUNTRY AND REGION
Annex VIII REPEALED REGULATION WITH LIST OF ITS SUCCESSIVE AMENDMENTS
Annex IX
CORRELATION TABLE

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L 32/6
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Official Journal of the European Union
3.2.2012
ANNEX I
Part 1
LIST OF VARIABLES
A1. vehicle-related variables;
A2. journey-related variables;
A3. goods-related variables (in the basic transport operation).
A1. VEHICLE-RELATED VARIABLES
Pursuant to the definition given in Article 2, point (d), a goods road transport vehicle shall be any single road
transport vehicle, or combination of road vehicles, namely road train or articulated vehicle designed to carry goods.
The vehicle-related variables to be provided are the following:
1. possibility
of
using
vehicles
for
combined
transport
(optional);
2. axle
configuration
according
to
Annex
II
(optional);
3. age of the road transport vehicle (lorry or road tractor) in years (from its first registration);
4. maximum
permissible
weight,
in
100
kg;
5. load
capacity,
in
100
kg;
6. vehicle
operator’s
NACE
Rev.
2
at
class
level
(four-digit
level)
(optional)
( 1 );
7. type
of
transport
(hire
or
reward/own
account);
8. total
kilometres
covered
during
the
survey
period;
8.1. loaded;
8.2. empty (including road tractor journeys without semi-trailer) (optional);
9. vehicle weighting, to be used to obtain full results from individual data if the data are collected on the basis of
random sampling.
Successive configurations
When the road transport vehicle chosen for the survey is a lorry used alone, namely without a trailer, throughout the
survey period, it constitutes in itself the road vehicle for the transport of goods.
However, when the road transport vehicle chosen for the survey is a road tractor — in which case it will have a
semi-trailer coupled — or when it is a lorry to which a trailer is coupled, the data required under this Regulation
concern the road vehicle for the transport of goods taken as a whole. In this case, there may be a change of
configuration during the survey period (with a lorry acquiring a trailer or changing trailer during the period, or a
road tractor changing its semi-trailer). In such a case, these successive configurations must be recorded, and the data
on the vehicle must be supplied for each journey. However, if it is not possible to record these successive
configurations, it is agreed that, for the vehicle-related variables, those corresponding to the configuration at the
beginning of the first laden journey made during the survey period or to the configuration used most during that
period will be recorded.
( 1 ) Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Union.

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Change in type of transport
In the same way, depending on the journey, the transport may be effected on own account or for hire or reward,
and the type of transport must be recorded for each journey. However, if it is not possible to record these changes, it
is agreed that the ‘type of transport’ recorded will be that corresponding to the main mode of utilisation.
A2. JOURNEY-RELATED VARIABLES
During the survey period, the goods road transport vehicle makes journeys, either unloaded (there are no goods or
empty packaging in the lorry, the trailer or the semi-trailer, which are therefore ‘completely empty’) or loaded (there
are either goods or empty packaging in the lorry, the trailer or the semi-trailer, empty packaging being a particular
type of goods). The loaded distance of the goods road transport vehicle is the distance between the first place of
loading and the last place of unloading (where the goods road transport vehicle is completely emptied). A laden
journey can therefore cover several basic transport operations.
The variables to be provided for each journey are as follows:
1. type of journey in accordance with the nomenclature in Annex III;
2. weight of goods carried during the journey or during each stage of the journey, gross weight in 100 kg;
3. place of loading (of the goods road transport vehicle, for a laden journey):
— definition: the place of loading is the first place in which goods are loaded on the goods road transport
vehicle, which was previously completely empty (or where the road tractor is coupled up to a laden semi-
trailer). For an unladen journey, it is the place of unloading of the preceding laden journey (notion of ‘place
where unladen journey begins’),
— coding: the place of loading is coded in accordance with Annex VII;
4. place of unloading (of the goods road transport vehicle, for a laden journey):
— definition: the place of unloading is the last place in which goods are unloaded from the goods road
transport vehicle, which is subsequently completely empty (or where the road tractor is uncoupled from
a semi-trailer). For an unladen journey, it is the place of loading of the subsequent laden journey (notion of
‘place where unladen journey ends’),
— coding: the place of unloading is coded in accordance with Annex VII;
5. distance travelled: actual distance excluding the distance covered by the goods road transport vehicle while being
transported by another means of transport;
6. tonne-kilometre effected during the journey;
7. countries crossed in transit (not more than five), coded according to Annex VII;
8. place of loading, if any, of the road transport vehicle on another means of transport in accordance with Annex
VII (optional);
9. place of unloading, if any, of the road transport vehicle from another means of transport in accordance with
Annex VII (optional);
10. situation ‘fully loaded’ (procedure 2) or ‘not fully loaded’ (procedure 1) of the goods road transport vehicle
during the journey in question, in terms of maximum volume of space used during the journey (procedure 0 =
by convention for unladen journeys) (optional).
A3. GOODS-RELATED VARIABLES (in the basic transport operation)
During a laden journey, several basic transport operations can be carried out, a basic transport operation being
defined as the transport of one type of goods (defined by reference to a particular classification level) between its
place of loading and its place of unloading.

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Official Journal of the European Union
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The variables to be provided relating to a basic transport operation during a laden journey are as follows:
1. type of goods, according to the division level referring to an appropriate classification (see Annex IV);
2. weight of goods: gross weight in 100 kg;
3. if need be, the classification of the goods as dangerous according to the main categories of Directive 2008/68/EC
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 2008 on the inland transport of dangerous
goods ( 1 ) given in Annex V to this Regulation;
4. type of freight as given in Annex VI (optional);
5. place of loading of the goods, coded in accordance with Annex VII;
6. place of unloading of the goods, coded in accordance with Annex VII;
7. distance travelled, actual distance excluding the distance covered with the goods road transport vehicle while
being transported by another means of transport.
Transport operations carried out during a ‘collection or distribution round’ type of journey (journey-type 3)
For this type of journey, with several loading and/or unloading points, it is practically impossible to ask the transport
operators to describe the basic transport operations.
For these journeys, when identified as such, a single, notional, basic transport operation is generally generated on the
basis of the information on the journey.
Each Member State shall inform the Commission of its definition of this type of journey and explain the simplifying
assumptions it is obliged to apply when collecting data on the corresponding transport operations.
Part 2
METHODOLOGICAL APPENDIX
Laden journeys and basic transport operations
Depending on the Member State concerned, information on transport is collected on the basis of:
— either a description of each basic goods transport operation (with additional details on unladen journeys),
— or a description of the journeys made by the vehicle in carrying out these basic goods transport operations.
In the great majority of cases, when a laden journey is made this represents one basic transport operation only with:
— a single type of goods loaded (by reference to the classification of goods in use, in this case the 20 divisions derived
from the NST classification) ( 2 ),
— a single point of loading for the goods,
— a single point of unloading for the goods.
In this case the two methods used are completely equivalent, and the information collected by either method describes
both:
— the transport of the goods (all the basic goods transport operations),
— the journeys made by the vehicles carrying out this transport, with details of vehicle capacities and utilisation of these
capacities (laden journey with utilisation coefficient; unladen journey).
( 1 ) OJ L 260, 30.9.2008, p. 13.
( 2 ) NST: Uniform nomenclature of goods for transport statistics.

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Under this Regulation, the transport of goods and the journeys made by the vehicles must both be described, but it is
undesirable to impose on the transport operators an excessive increase in the burden of statistics by asking them to
describe in detail the transport of goods and the vehicle journeys.
Accordingly, the NSOs in the Member States, when coding the questionnaires, must reconstitute the data which are not
explicitly required from the transport operators from the data which they collect on the basis of either the ‘basic transport
operation’, or the ‘vehicle journey’.
The problem will arise when several basic transport operations are carried out in the course of one laden journey, which
may be because:
— there are several points of loading and/or unloading of the goods (but limited in number, otherwise these would be
pick-up or distribution rounds, which require special treatment). In this case, these various loading and/or unloading
points are recorded, in order to calculate directly the tonne-kilometre effected during the journey, and the statistical
office can reconstitute the basic transport operations,
and/or
— there are several different types of goods transported during the laden journey, a fact which in general is not recorded
in the statistics, since only the type of goods (single or main) is requested. In this case the loss of information is
accepted and Member States carrying out this type of simplification will make explicit mention of it to the
Commission.

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Official Journal of the European Union
3.2.2012
ANNEX II
CLASSIFICATION OF AXLE CONFIGURATIONS
Where a combination of vehicles is used, the axle configuration counts the total number of axles, namely the axles of the
lorry or the road tractor, plus those of the trailer or semi-trailer.
The axle categories considered are as follows:
Coding
1. Number of axles of single vehicles (lorries):
2
120
3
130
4
140
other
199
2. Number of axles for combinations of vehicles: lorry and trailer:
2+1
221
2+2
222
2+3
223
3+2
232
3+3
233
other
299
3. Number of axles for combinations of vehicles: road tractor and semi-trailer:
2+1
321
2+2
322
2+3
323
3