Legislation on administration and use of public roads to be aligned with EU standards

The regulations governing vehicle traffic on public roads in relation to the maximum permitted weights and dimensions will be adjusted to European standards. The Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Budget and Finance will propose to the Legislature the examination, in first reading, of a draft law concerning the administration and use of public roads.

The document, developed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development, transposes into national legislation the relevant European directives in this field.

One of the main amendments provides for the establishment of a single set of maximum limits for the weights and dimensions of vehicles allowed on public roads. Thus, operators will be able to plan routes and vehicle configurations on the basis of clear and uniform rules, which will reduce the risk of differing interpretations during inspections and will decrease exposure to sanctions arising from regulatory ambiguities. Currently, maximum permitted limits are set differently depending on the road category – rehabilitated, non-rehabilitated or gravel.

The draft also introduces the concept of TEN-T European roads – roads included in the trans-European transport network. According to the explanatory note, in the context of the European integration process and the participation of the Republic of Moldova in the development of European transport corridors, it is necessary to regulate this category of roads in national legislation and to assign a distinct index for their identification within the national road classification system.

The draft law also contains clear provisions regarding the regime of land in road areas and the management of access ways to public roads. The public road administrator will be able to intervene to demolish or modify access ways built without authorization or in cases where road modernization requires such measures.

After adoption, the legislative amendments will enter into force upon the publication in the Official Journal, except for those relating to the maximum weights and dimensions of vehicles, which will enter into force on the date of the Republic of Moldova’s accession to the European Union.