Glossary:Cabotage
Cabotage is road transport by a motor vehicle registered in a country performed on the national territory of another country. Cabotage data are reported by European Union (EU) Member States for hauliers registered in their country.
Cabotage transport was gradually introduced in 1990 through authorization quotas (quantitative restrictions) and further liberalized in 1998 in the EU-15 (hauliers are allowed up to three cabotage operations within 7 days following an incoming international carriage). The cabotage regime was extended to the EFTA states (except Switzerland) following the creation of the EEA (European Economic Area). Cabotage between EU-15 and the Member States that joined the EU in 2004 was liberalized in May 2009 and in January 2012 for Bulgaria and Romania.