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Liability of Drivers and
Operators
REGULATION (EC) No
561/2006 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 15 March 2006 on the harmonisation of certain social
legislation relating to road transport and amending
Council Regulations (EEC) No 3821/85 and (EC) No 2135/98
and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85.
CHAPTER III
LIABILITY OF TRANSPORT UNDERTAKINGS
Article 10
1. A transport undertaking shall not give drivers it
employs or who are put at its disposal any payment, even
in the form of a bonus or wage supplement, related to
distances travelled and/or the amount of goods carried
if that payment is of such a kind as to endanger road
safety and/or encourages infringement of this
Regulation.
2. A transport
undertaking shall organise the work of drivers referred
to in paragraph 1 in such a way that the
drivers are able to comply with Regulation (EEC) No
3821/85 and Chapter II of this Regulation. The transport
undertaking shall properly instruct the driver and shall
make regular checks to ensure that Regulation (EEC) No
3821/85 and Chapter II of this Regulation are complied
with.
3. A transport
undertaking shall be liable for infringements committed
by drivers of the undertaking, even if the
infringement was committed on the territory of another
Member State or a third country. Without prejudice to
the right of Member States to hold transport
undertakings fully liable, Member States may make this
liability conditional on the undertaking's infringement
of paragraphs 1 and 2. Member States may consider any
evidence that the transport undertaking cannot
reasonably be held responsible for the infringement
committed.
4. Undertakings,
consignors, freight forwarders, tour operators,
principal contractors, subcontractors and driver
employment agencies shall ensure that contractually
agreed transport time schedules respect this Regulation.
5. (a) A transport
undertaking which uses vehicles that are fitted with
recording equipment complying with
Annex IB of Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 and that fall
within the scope of this Regulation, shall:
(i) ensure that all data are downloaded from the vehicle
unit and driver card as regularly as is stipulated by
the Member State and that relevant data are downloaded
more frequently so as to ensure that all data concerning
activities undertaken by or for that undertaking are
downloaded;
(ii) ensure that all data downloaded from both the
vehicle unit and driver card are kept for at least 12
months following recording and, should an inspecting
officer request it, such data are accessible, either
directly or remotely, from the premises of the
undertaking;
(b) for the purposes of this paragraph ‘downloaded’
shall be interpreted in accordance with the definition
laid down in Annex IB, Chapter I, point (s) of
Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85;
(c) the maximum period within which the relevant data
shall be downloaded under (a) (i) shall be decided by
the Commission in accordance with the procedure referred
to in Article 24(2).
Article 19
1. Member States shall lay down rules on penalties
applicable to infringements of this Regulation and
Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 and shall take all measures
necessary to ensure that they are implemented. Those
penalties shall be effective, proportionate, dissuasive
and non‑discriminatory. No infringement of this
Regulation and Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 shall be
subjected to more than one penalty or procedure. The
Member States shall notify the Commission of these
measures and the rules on penalties by the date
specified in the second subparagraph of Article 29. The
Commission shall inform Member States accordingly.
Drivers
2. A Member State shall
enable the competent authorities to impose a penalty on
an undertaking and/or a driver for an infringement of
this Regulation detected on its territory and for which
a penalty has not already been imposed, even where that
infringement has been committed on the territory of
another Member State or of a third country.
Article 20
1. The driver shall keep any
evidence provided by a Member State concerning penalties
imposed or the initiation of proceedings until such time
as the same infringement of this Regulation can no
longer lead to a second proceeding or penalty pursuant
to this Regulation.
2. The driver shall produce the
evidence referred to in paragraph 1 upon request.
3. A driver who is employed or at
the disposal of more than one transport undertaking
shall provide sufficient information to each undertaking
to enable it to comply with Chapter II. |