On September 1, 2020 the Parliament lifted from further consideration Draft Law #2296, which proposed to introduce a time restriction on freight transport movement through cities with a population of more than 250 000 people.
The Draft Law prohibited the movement of trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating over 8 tons in the timeframe from 6 AM to 11 AM and from 5 PM to 9 PM. According to the Explanatory Note, the Draft Law’s aim is to prevent the adverse effects of air pollution on public health.
According to the Chamber member-companies’ experts, in case of adoption of the Draft Law, such restrictions would lead to prices’ rise for freights transportation services, risks of violation of the delivery contract terms caused by logistics delays. In addition, the new conditions might be critical for the delivery of perishable goods.
The Chamber requested the Ministry of Health and Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture to provide a review on potential economic consequences and the possibility to achieve Draft Law’s aim by adopting the proposed novelties. Given the serious risks for business, the Chamber advocated against the Draft Law and welcomes the decision on its withdrawal.
