The Swedish Taxi Association have noted that Denmark currently requires a negative PCR testing (COVID-19) of taxi drivers before they can be allowed to enter Denmark. This requirement does not apply to lorry drivers in cross-border transport.
The Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/1475 on a coordinated approach to the restrictions of free movement in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Article 19(b)) provides for an exemption from such requirements for ”transport workers”. It can be interpreted and read as to mean that Article 19(b) is primarily and exclusively intended for lorry drivers, although this is not absolutely clear from the wording. The Swedish Taxi Association takes this situation very seriously and is of the opinion that it is at least as important that cross-border taxi services are covered by the exemption provided for in Article 19(b) as it is for lorry drivers.
The Swedish Taxi Association therefore calls on the Swedish Government to bring up this issue with the Danish Government as a matter of urgency and to seek, with immediate effect, an exemption for cross-border taxi transport within the application of Article 19(b) so that cross-border taxi transport can be carried out and not be restricted by the fact that drivers of taxis are not specifically listed and defined as “transport workers” in Article 19(b).
The Swedish Taxi Association feels that Sweden should urgently seek an agreement with not only Denmark but also with Finland and Norway so that taxi drivers carrying out cross-border taxi transport are covered by Article 19(b) and are regarded as drivers of transport vehicles in the same way and meaning as lorry driver, even if the taxi transport is carriage of passengers and not transport of goods.
Below follows Article 19(b) as it stands today and a proposed wording that could include taxi transport in the cross-border transport exemption.
19. Travellers with an essential function or need should not be required to undergo quarantine while exercising this essential function, in particular:
b) transport workers or transport service providers, including drivers of freight vehicles carrying goods for use in the territory as well as those merely transiting;
19. Travellers with an essential function or need should not be required to undergo quarantine while exercising this essential function, in particular:
b) transport workers or transport service providers, including drivers of vehicles carrying goods or persons within the territory as well as those merely transiting; Said drivers shall also be exempt under 19 b) for the return-transport to the member state of registration even if such return-transport is empty.
The Swedish Taxi Association is remains at the disposal of the Government with regards to this matter and will assist in any way we can.
» PDF: Petition EU Commission on cross border taxi transports (English)
» PDF: Hemställan gränsöverskridande taxitransporter (Swedish)