Court urges tougher regulation of lorries on Belgian roads

Belgium could perform better when it comes to keeping tabs on the people whose job it is to transport goods in and out of the country, according to the Belgian Court of Audit. The Court claims that Belgium does not carry out enough checks on truck drivers for fraud or other violations, adding that road safety is compromised as a result.

The issue came to the court’s attention following an audit of the three Federal Public Service departments tasked with performing checks on lorries (mobility, social security and employment). The audit also required taking a closer look into the activities of the federal police. Belgium lacks the necessary co-ordination and resources, concludes a report from the court to the federal parliament.

"Competition in the industry is tough," writes the Court of Audit. "So the risk of violations is high. This not only leads to unfair competition and fraud, but also to less safe roads."

Most violations are punishable by fine or other financial settlements, although these are not deterrents, the court said. “Belgium should instead focus on the punishment of individual crimes in order to combat fraud in the transport sector.”

Tachograph fraud, or tampering with the drivers’ hours and speed regulations, is one of the most common forms of fraud in the sector.