Newsroom

IRU welcomes the targeted transport measures, calls for clearer contingency planning should supply conditions deteriorate, and expects broader financial support through a separate State aid framework.

The trucking industry in North America is grappling with several major challenges, including additional tariffs, stricter rules-of-origin requirements, and rising fuel prices. IRU recently brought together Mexican vehicle makers and US carriers to discuss what keeps them up at night.

EU transport ministers convened today in an informal video conference to assess the impact of developments in the Middle East on the transport sector, marking an important step towards a coordinated EU response to rising fuel costs and market volatility.

BUS2BUS 2026 confirms its role as a key platform for industry and policy dialogue. IRU contributed to the discussions, bringing the EU policy perspective and its implications for operators’ day-to-day operations.

On 17 April 2026, Brent reached USD 98.83 a barrel, up 35% since 27 February, while the week-on-week move was flat at +0.6%. Although huge price gaps remain between countries, EU diesel averaged EUR 2.07 per litre, up 27% cumulatively since the start of the war, down from 33% last week. A similar slight easing of pump prices was also seen in Brazil, Türkiye and the US, but not China. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

IRU and European road transport associations, including IRU members, have released a joint statement ahead of the upcoming court hearing on Austria’s anti-transit measures on the Brenner corridor.

The UK seeks to better integrate coach services into local transport strategies and the wider mobility system, in line with advocacy by IRU member the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT).

Safe and reliable transport is key to unlocking access to education. In Senegal, IRU is helping connect children to opportunity.

The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is entering into full operation across Schengen external borders, marking a new phase in its rollout.

As of 10 April 2026, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely restricted, with only 5–7 vessels transiting daily versus over 100 pre-war. Brent crude reached USD 97.08 a barrel, down 11.5% from last week's peak of USD 119.24 but still 33% above the pre-war baseline. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

IRU welcomes the European Parliament transport committee’s strong backing of the revised EU vehicle registration rules. This is a major step towards simpler and more efficient procedures for operators.

Fuel accounts for nearly a third of operating costs. With today’s fuel price volatility, daily tracking is essential to protect your margins.

As of 2 April 2026, the energy shortage is worsening across multiple fronts, with diesel bearing the heaviest impact, forcing governments to take action. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

The revised Package Travel Directive updates the definition of package travel and clarifies travellers’ rights while introducing changes that will directly affect how coach services are organised, contracted and reimbursed within package tours.

IRU welcomes the adoption of the EU Talent Pool as a step towards addressing labour shortages, including in road transport, but stresses that it must be accompanied by concrete measures to deliver results.

The war is entering its fifth week. A fragile diplomatic window has opened, but with no ceasefire in sight, energy markets remain tense. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

As the fuel market crisis intensifies across the EU, IRU has urged its transport ministers to take immediate and coordinated EU-level action to keep supply chains moving and protect people’s mobility.

As of 20 March 2026, attacks on critical energy hubs have pushed global oil and fuel prices higher. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

As of 13 March 2026, global oil and fuel prices continue to rise. Here is the latest overview for the road transport sector.

In the second part of this series on the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035), IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto outlines clear actions to materialise tangible results. For a historical overview of sustainable road transport and joint IRU-UN initiatives, see the first part of this series.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, urges governments to immediately release oil reserves to curb rising commercial road transport fuel prices.

As of 5 March 2026, global oil and fuel prices are trending upwards, driven by geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions in the Middle East. Here is an overview.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women entrepreneurs and business leaders whose influence extends beyond their own careers, women whose vision and courage open doors for others and help shape an entire industry.

As the EU road transport sector accelerates its green and digital transition, the spotlight is increasingly on the people who will make it work on the ground. That was the message from a week of IRU discussions in Brussels, where EU policymakers, industry leaders and operators gathered to focus on one priority: how to align skills, technology and regulatory frameworks to deliver the transition.

IRU welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a regulation on the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act but warns that the transport dimension, the backbone of EU mobility and industrial supply chains, remains underrepresented.

Coach mobility must be fully integrated into the EU’s future tourism framework if the bloc is to strengthen competitiveness, sustainability and resilience, IRU stressed at high-level discussions in Brussels.

The European Commission has published a comprehensive study conducted by IRU on the recruitment and integration of professional bus and truck drivers from third countries into the EU labour market.

With robotaxi deployment moving steadily towards commercial reality, bringing the taxi sector into sharp focus across global mobility markets, IRU presented the EU’s automation framework at an international taxi summit in Vienna.

The EUR 3 billion ETS2 Frontloading Facility is a welcome development. However, without explicit prioritisation, commercial road transport risks being left without the predictable support it needs to decarbonise.

IRU brought together policymakers and the industry to clarify how EU driving and rest time rules apply as electric fleets scale up.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, and the International Transport Forum (ITF) have signed a new cooperation agreement ahead of the ITF 2026 Summit, fuelling their long-standing partnership.

Diesel VAT rates range from 8.1% to 27% in Europe – and 17 European countries apply a CO2-based component to their diesel tax. Our latest Intelligence Monitoring details the various taxes applied to diesel by country.

IRU, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and T&E urge the European Commission to ensure continuity of EU funding for heavy-duty vehicle charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, warning that a break in support in 2026–2027 would risk slowing the deployment of zero-emission vehicles.

The EU road transport community made significant gains in 2025. In close cooperation with its members, operators and policymakers, IRU helped drive progress on several major EU files, grounded in on-the-ground realities.

As the European Commission is expected to present its Automotive Package  tomorrow, as announced, IRU and its partner associations, the European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Customs Services (CLECAT), and the European Shippers’ Council (ESC), will bring together leading Members of the European Parliament and industry stakeholders in Strasbourg tomorrow to discuss solutions, showcase progress, and ensure that fleet decarbonisation ambitions are grounded in operational real