Those operators who are eligible to apply for a ECMT permit to undertake international work post Brexit need to be applying for permits now as the application process for 2019 permits closes on Friday 21 December 2018.

As has been well documented, there are only 984 annual permits available. Applicants will be advised by email in early 2019 as to whether or not their application has been successful. The fee must be paid within 10 days of being allocated a permit.
The permit must be in the vehicle that is making a journey to or through a ECMT member country. When a vehicle returns to the UK it can be moved to another vehicle on the operator’s licence to make a journey to or through a ECMT country. You must also carry an ECMT certificate of compliance to confirm that the vehicle meets Euro 6 standards and any trailer meets technical safety requirements. Certificates of compliance can be requested from the manufacturers.

Operators who are using ECMT permits need to meet the ECMT quality standard. For standard international operators this is no problem as by holding a standard international operator’s licence, they meet the standard. However, for restricted licence holders, they now need to have a transport manager and give proof that they meet the higher levels of financial standing for an international licence. In effect, restricted licence holders who have been successful in being granted a permit need to upgrade their licence to a standard international one by 29 March 19 in order to show that they meet the quality standard. Any such operators need to be factoring in the amount of time needed for an application to be processed.

Permits will be issued with log books, which will need to be completed and carried by the driver. Duplicate log book records of the journey need to be sent to DVSA within 2 weeks of the end of the calendar month in which the journey ended.

Further advice is available on the gov.uk website. As with much of Brexit, things are changing fast and the government advises that some of the requirements may change as Brexit progresses and the UK leaves the EU.