Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne to visit Brussels – Finland advocates for flexibility in transport regulation

Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne to visit Brussels - Finland advocates for flexibility in transport regulation

The EU Transport and Telecommunications Council will meet in Brussels on 4 and 5 December 2025. Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne will represent Finland at the meeting.

The Transport Council is to adopt general approaches on the roadworthiness package and on the Directive on weights and dimensions for certain road vehicles.

"Finland has been very active in the negotiations on these significant legislative packages. It is important that Finland's special characteristics are taken into account in the reforms and that there will be no unreasonable costs to citizens or businesses," Minister Ranne says.

The Directive regulates the maximum authorised dimensions and weights of lorries and buses. In the negotiations on the Directive, Finland has considered it important that Member States can continue to allow exemptions for heavy-duty vehicles and that cross-border traffic could continue with the existing fleet. In the negotiations, Finland has supported the use of zero-emission vehicles in heavy-duty transport so that the vehicle mass would be allowed to be higher. The aim is to take the durability of bridges and the road load capacity into account in the best possible way.

The roadworthiness package includes proposed amendments to the Directives on periodic road-worthiness tests and on technical roadside inspections, as well as a proposal for a new Directive on vehicle registration documents. The goals of the roadworthiness package are to promote road safety and reduce the negative environmental impacts of transport. At the outset, Finland welcomes these goals. Finland has emphasised that the implementation of the directives should not result in unreasonable costs or unnecessary administrative burden.

The Directive on periodic roadworthiness tests also includes provisions on the requirements for the roadworthiness testing of motorcycles. Finland considers it important that roadworthiness testing of motorcycles will continue to be non-mandatory in the future.

Telecommunications ministers to focus on EU competitiveness

The Telecommunications Council on 5 December is to adopt Council conclusions on European competitiveness in the digital decade. The conclusions are based on Europe's digital decade policy programme. Its midterm review will take place in summer 2026.

In Finland's view, bold reform of different sectors is needed to strengthen the EU's competitiveness. The EU should invest particularly in disruptive technologies and promote the data economy. Regulation should be simplified.

The Telecommunications Council will also discuss the Commission's plans to streamline regulation on digital technology. In November 2025, the Commission published a proposal for the omnibus package on digital regulation, which contains several sets of statutes. The ministers will also discuss the implementation of the Digital Services Act.

Inquiries:

Petri Lepistö, Planning Officer, tel. +358 29 534 2014, [email protected] (Transport Council)

Emma-Leena Kemppainen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 29 534 2161, [email protected] (Telecommunications Council)