Amendments to the Act on Road Passenger Transport Services regarding the 10-day rule according to the journey form
On 13 June 2021, the Icelandic Legislative Assembly, Althingi, approved amendments to the Act on Road Transport Passenger Services and Freight Transport Services, No. 28/2017; see also law No. 97/2021.
The Act concerns i.a. temporary transport passenger services. The amendment means that such transport is only considered temporary if they are carried out for ten consecutive days or less in each calendar month. If such a period spans the end of a month/beginning of the next month or if it ends at the end of a month, at least two working days must pass from the end of a period until a new period can begin. A vehicle that is used for temporary transport passenger services does not have to be exported between such periods, but conditions on temporary import and tax liability on vehicles according to the Customs Act No 88/2005, do apply.
In this connection, it should be pointed out that no license is required for own-account passenger transport, which is according to Point 8 of Article 3 of Act No 28/2017, defined as passenger transport carried out for non-commercial purposes.
The main changes concern the following:
- A carrier1 which is established in an EEA Member State and is a holder of a Community license may operate temporary passenger transport services in Iceland for up to ten consecutive days in each calendar month.
- The carrier shall indicate in the journey form stored in the vehicle the period within the calendar month in which he intends to carry out temporary passenger transport.
- Upon arrival in the country, the carrier must hand over a copy of the journey form to the customs for safekeeping.
- If the driving period covers the end of the month or if it ends at the end of the month, at least two working days shall elapse from the end of the driving period until the carrier commences driving in the new season.
- It is not necessary to submit a journey form if the transport is free of charge and is operated as own account.
- The police may order the detention of a vehicle used for temporary passenger transport if the transport takes place outside the period specified in the journey form or if the transport is not otherwise in accordance with Article 11(a).
See more information on the amendments in the legislation on Althingi's website.
See journey form in Commission Regulation (EU) No 361/2014 laying down detailed rules for the application of Regulation (EC) No 1073/2009 as regards documents for the international carriage of passengers by coach and bus and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 2121/98.
