GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 16, 2026
cabotage transport
Cabotage transport arises in day-to-day logistics and customs operations the moment a vehicle with foreign registration picks up and delivers goods exclusively within another country, without crossing any border.
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Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32009R1072
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Cabotage transport arises in day-to-day logistics and customs operations the moment a vehicle with foreign registration picks up and delivers goods exclusively within another country, without crossing any border. The term describes the operational level of what the legal principle of cabotage permits or prohibits. In EU road haulage, only a limited number of domestic trips within a narrow time window are allowed after completing an international delivery; enforcement authorities verify compliance using consignment notes and tachograph records. In air transport, cabotage by foreign carriers is generally prohibited unless bilateral agreements explicitly provide for exceptions. Where cabotage refers to the underlying legal concept, cabotage transport denotes the actual journey or service subject to that framework.
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