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News from ECG
A sweeping change is coming to the European road transport sector: from 19 August 2025 all heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) operating internationally in the EU — including those making cross-border trips to and from the UK — must be fitted with the Smart Tachograph 2 (SMT 2).
As a part of the EU Mobility Package, SMT 2 aims to modernise compliance, tighten enforcement and enhance transparency in the industry. While domestic operations remain exempt, fleets that delay the upgrade risk steep fines and serious disruption to cross-border checks.
This requirement follows earlier phased deadlines: as of 21 August 2023 SMT 2 is mandatory for all newly registered vehicles in international transport. By 31 December 2024, vehicles were required to phase out analogue or first-generation digital tachographs and upgraded for cross-border operations. The final stage comes on 19 August 2025, when vehicles equipped with SMT 1 must also be converted to SMT 2.
The SMT 2 is the latest generation of digital tachograph, automatically recording speed, driving and rest times and cross border movements. Its rollout is intended to strengthen oversight of driver hours, posting of workers and cabotage operations, replacing much of the manual record-keeping still required with older systems.
Unlike SMT 1, SMT 2 will automatically record border crossings, provide authorities with more comprehensive data for verification and compliance and securely store vehicle activity data for a longer period to support oversight and inspections.
For drivers, the change promises less manual input, faster roadside checks and clearer verification of working hours. At the same time, it will bring stricter enforcement and enable authorities to issue penalties more quickly for any infringements.
In the finished vehicle logistics sector, SMT 2 could streamline cross-border movements, optimise planning and pinpoint inefficiencies such as delays in loading and unloading operations.
Failure to comply could result in penalties, which differ from country to country — with France currently imposing some of the highest fines, underscoring the urgency for operators to act well ahead of the deadline.