The Government has adopted on today’s meeting an Emergency Ordinance to strengthen control with a view to combating the illicit passenger and freight transport, a legislative act discussed in advance with social dialogue partners.
"By introducing these new regulations, the Executive backs honest operators and carriers and encourages the road transport activity in a legal framework, by combating tax evasion and other illegal activities in the area," Spokesperson for the Executive, Mrs. Ioana Muntean has stated.
The legislative act completes the legal framework governing the activity of drivers’ school and authorized driving instructors and taxi transport and local transport rental provided by Law 92/2007.
According to the Spokesperson for the Executive, some penalties are provided in this regard, namely a fine of 10,000 RON to 15,000 RON for individual or legal entity, where appropriate, car driving schools and instructors who carry out the activity of practical training of persons who want to obtain a driving license, without having driving license or driving instructor permit or who has a license suspended, revoked or with expired validity. For other companies engaged in transporting people and cargo in those situations, the fines are enforced under the laws 38/2003, 92/2007 respectively, relating to local transport and taxi transport.
These fines are enforced in parallel with other measures to strengthen discipline related to passenger and freight transport, Mrs Ioana Muntean has stated. According to new regulations, the registration plates and registration certificate along with a copy of the statement of the offense are held by police. They are delivered to County Police Inspectorate, the General Directorate of Bucharest Police, notifying the vehicle owner that the suspension of car's use rights by withholding registration certificate and registration plate shall expire 6 months after the minutes of their detention. Suspension of use of vehicle stops and registration plates and registration certificates shall be returned upon request, if there is proof of payment of the fine.
The Spokesperson for the Government has mentioned that the Emergency Ordinance approved today amends some provisions of Law nr.38/2003 on transport and taxi rental. Thus, there is prohibited the parking of taxis to carry out public road transport, in taxi regime, in another locality, outside the area of authorization. If people use for public transport a 8 +1 vehicle without authorization for rental, they have the right to use their car suspended and the police officers and agents of the Romanian Police with quality of road policemen, withhold registration plates and registration certificate, and enforce appropriate penalty.
In terms of local transport, the legislative act approved today amends the Law. 92/2007 on local public transport services. The notice of offence and the sanction enforcement is done by the empowered representatives of mayors of communes, towns and municipalities and by police officers.
The Spokesperson for the Government has stated that the measures approved today by the Executive are a result of amplification of illicit activities in relation to carrying out road transport activities of persons and goods, transport in taxi and rental regime, services of local public transport and the activity of training people to obtain driving license, thus affecting both the safety of citizens and the quality of services provided by operators and road carriers.