Smart tachographs for vehicles from 2.5 to 3.5 t – what do the new EU rules mean for non-EU carriers?

In recent years, the European Union has been rapidly digitalizing the control of international road transport. Second-generation smart tachographs, digital driver declarations, automatic recording of border crossings, and the interconnection of control systems are becoming the standard on the EU market.

One of the questions currently attracting the greatest attention among transport companies from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia is:

• Will vehicles between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes be required to have a second-generation smart tachograph installed when entering the EU after 1 July 2026?

At this point, the application of this obligation to carriers from non-EU countries has not yet been fully clarified from a regulatory perspective, and therefore the answer to this question is not entirely straightforward.

What is the EU officially introducing from July 2026?

According to the rules of the Mobility Package, from 1 July 2026, vehicles with a mass between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes performing international transport of goods within the European Union will be required to have a second-generation smart tachograph (G2V2) installed. This obligation unquestionably applies to transport companies registered in EU Member States.

The aim of the new rules is:

– automatic recording of border crossings,
 – more precise control of driving and rest times,
 – digital monitoring of cabotage and cross-trade operations,
 – interconnection of data between EU Member States.

In other words, the European Union is entering a phase of fully digital transport control.

Where does the dilemma arise for non-EU transport companies?

For transport companies from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and other non-EU countries, the situation is legally more complex. They are subject to the AETR Agreement, which regulates driving and rest time rules in international transport between EU and non-EU countries. If a transport operation starts or ends in an AETR country, or passes through the territory of an AETR country, the AETR rules apply, not directly EU regulations.

This is precisely why there is currently legal uncertainty:

👉 AETR has not yet been officially amended to include the mandatory use of second-generation smart tachographs for vehicles between 2.5 and 3.5 t.

What do we currently know about the plans of the EU and UNECE?

The European Union and UNECE are already working on aligning the AETR Agreement with EU tachograph rules.

The planned changes include:

– introduction of second-generation smart tachographs into the AETR framework,
 – digital recording of border crossings,
 – advanced remote control functions for transport monitoring.

This means that the long-term objective is a unified system of digital transport supervision for both EU and AETR countries.

However, at the time of publication of this article:

❗ There is still no official confirmation that non-EU carriers will have the same obligation as EU companies already from July 2026.

The amendment that would officially introduce smart tachographs into the AETR has not yet been adopted. The negotiations are complex, and countries such as Turkey and the Russian Federation have expressed reservations – particularly regarding the obligation to retrofit light commercial vehicles, considering it an excessive financial burden for the economy. At the last meeting in early 2026, it was agreed that Turkey would present its compromise technical proposal in June 2026, while the next vote and potential adoption are expected only in October 2026.

The biggest practical risk: inspections when entering the EU

Although there is still no formal legal obligation under the AETR, carriers entering the territory of the European Union with their van vehicles face a significant operational risk, as the so-called principle of territoriality may be applied.

This would mean that EU Member States could require the application of EU technical rules for vehicles operating on their territory — regardless of the country in which the carrier is registered.

Important:

❗ This is currently not explicitly prescribed for non-EU carriers, but it is increasingly being discussed in regulatory and expert circles as a possible direction for the application of the rules.

Recommendations of the EXPO team for transport companies registered outside the EU

Although there is still no urgent and unequivocal obligation for non-EU companies to install smart tachographs in light commercial vehicles, the recommendation is:

– monitor amendments to the AETR Agreement
 – analyse the vehicle fleet performing international transport in the EU
 – follow future guidance from the EU and national control authorities
 – prepare for intensified digital inspections from July 2026

The trend is completely clear:

The EU wants all participants in international transport to be included in a unified digital control system.

The information provided in this article represents a general overview of the currently available regulatory information regarding the application of smart tachograph rules for vehicles with a mass between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes in international transport.

At the time of publication of this article, the AETR Agreement has not yet been officially aligned with all provisions of the European Union Mobility Package relating to the mandatory installation of second-generation smart tachographs for non-EU carriers. For this reason, certain questions regarding the application of these rules to transport companies registered outside the EU remain subject to regulatory interpretation and future legislative amendments.

Given that EU Member States may take different approaches to the enforcement and interpretation of certain obligations in international transport, continuous monitoring of official announcements by the competent EU institutions, UNECE bodies, and national control authorities is recommended.

The EXPO team will continue to closely monitor the work of UNECE bodies and official communications from the European Commission. As soon as official guidance or a final legal position on the status of non-EU carriers at EU borders is published, we will inform you in a timely manner.