101 UK Brexit Notes

Connemara Programme October 16 2018 pg. 21 Transport: Road: Bus and coach Services Purpose This notice provides guidance for UK bus and coach operators on the implications for access to EU markets in the unlikely scenario that the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 with no agreement in place. Before 29 March 2019 Currently UK bus and coach operators carrying out international journeys must hold a Standard International Operator’s Licence , along with a Community Licence for journeys to and from the EU. The Community Licence gives carriers access to international journeys ‘for hire or reward’ (carrying passengers in return for payment) for operations in the EU. This includes:  regular services ( scheduled services)  special regular services (such as cross-border home-to-school travel)  occasional services (such as school trips and coach holidays) Regular services are subject to an authorisation process. Operators may also carry out limite d cabotage ( carriage of passengers within a country by a foreign operator) in some circumstances – for example, as part of an international regular journey. The UK also participates in th e Interbus Agreement , because the EU as a whole is a member. This agreement allows bus and coach operators to carry out occasional services between the participating countries. In addition to the EU countries there are 7 eastern European members: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Turkey and Ukraine. It is planned that Interbus will be extended to also provide for regular and special regular services, but this has not taken effect yet. Unlike the EU rules, the Interbus Agreement does not permit any cabotage. Drivers are currently required to hold a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). Certificates issued in the UK are currently recognised across the EU, allowing drivers to operate without the need for an additional qualification. The rules on documentation and qualifications outlined above also apply to the EEA states (Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway) and Switzerland. After March 2019 if there’s no deal Community licences and market access If there’s no deal, UK bus and coach operators could no longer rely on automatic recognition by the EU of UK-issued Community Licences. EU countries may choose to recognise that UK-issued operator licences and associated authorisations are based on the same standards as EU Community Licences and not require further authorisations. This would ensure continued passenger movement, but cannot be guaranteed. The UK’s participation in the Interbus Agreement by virtue of EU membership would also cease to have effect. However, the UK intends to re-join Interbus as an independent member and to have this in place for 29 March 2019, or as soon as possible thereafter should this prove necessary. This would enable UK operators to run occasional services into the EU. It cannot be guaranteed at this stage that the agreement would be extended to cover regular services, or if it is extended, whether that would come into force before 29 March 2019. Driving Licences Due to the UK’s ratification of the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (which will come into force on 28 March 2019) and the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, UK drivers would continue to be able to drive in all EU countries after we have left. This may however require the correc t International Driving Permit t o be obtained before departure and carried whilst driving for both commercial and private purposes in the EU.