Information about ECMT permits

ECMT (also known as CEMT) refers to the European Conference of Ministers of Transport.

All Norwegian transport enterprises with a right to engage in the international carriage of goods (i.e. who hold an Operator’s licence) can apply for ECMT permits (also known as CEMT permits) valid for one year (the period of validity runs from 1 January to 31 December every year).

Within the EEA, however, a Community licence is sufficient. Note that eco-points are no longer required to drive through (transit) Austria, and that an ECMT permit that is valid in Austria is superfluous if the transport only takes place between EEA member states.

Norway’s quota is limited. Do not submit an application if no transport will take place to countries outside the EEA. Please read this information carefully and consider whether your company needs an ECMT permit.

An ECMT permit entitles the holder to engage in the international carriage of goods between two or more countries that are members of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT). It does not entitle the holder to carry out transport assignments between two places in another member state (cabotage).

In addition to the EEA states, the following countries are members of the ECMT as of 1 January 2009:

Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine.

Two types of ECMT permits are available to Norwegian carriers: full-year permits and removal permits. Some of the permits are not valid for transport in Greece, Italy and Austria. This will be indicated by a stamp on the permit. You should therefore take care to list in the application the countries in which the transport is expected to take place.

The permits are divided into categories based on the vehicle’s technical and safety condition:

As of 1 January 2009, the categories were EURO III, EURO IV and EURO V. A number of technical and safety-related requirements apply to vehicles/tractors and trailers/semi-trailers, depending on which category they belong to. This must be documented by separate forms accompanying the permit in the vehicle. These forms must be completed by the dealer. More information about this is available from the dealer or the Directorate of Public Roads.

The following award criteria apply to ECMT permits:

1. The applicant must hold a national Operator’s licence for the transport of goods.
2. In the event of a great number of applicants, we will have to make a selection of applicants to be granted an ECMT permit. Importance will be attached to the following factors:

• The applicant’s driving pattern: If the permit is to be used in the EEA only, a Community licence is sufficient. If the transport is to take place between Norway and one other country, it will be sufficient to use single-trip permits for this transport. For this reason you should take care to list exactly to what countries the transport will take place.
• Whether the permit will be used effectively throughout its period of validity.
• Previous use of the permit, based on submitted pages of the driving logs.