17.3.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 73/1 
(Information) 
COUNCIL 
Codified version of Council Regulation (EEC) No 543/69 of 25 March 1969 on the 
harmonization of certain social legislation relating to road transport 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 543/69 of 25 March 1969 on the harmonization of 
certain social legislation relating to road transport (OJ No L 77, 29. 3. 1969, p. 49) and 
the amendments arising out of the Regulations set out below: 
1. Regulation (EEC) No 514/72 (OJ No L 67, 20. 3. 1972, p. 1), 
2. Regulation (EEC) No 515/72 (OJ No L 67, 20. 3. 1972, p. 11), 
3. Regulation (EEC) No 2827/77 (OJ No L 334, 24. 12. 1977, p. 1), 
4. Regulation (EEC) No 2829/77 (OJ No L 334, 24. 12. 1977, p. 11) 
are hereby coordinated. 
This coordination is without legal status. Hence, the preamble has been omitted. 
SECTION 1 
Definitions 
Article 1 
In this Regulation: 
1. 'carriage by road' means any journey by road of a 
vehicle, whether laden or not, used for the 
carriage of passengers or goods; 2. 'vehicles' means motor vehicles, tractors, trailers 
and semi-trailers, defined as follows: 
(a) 'motor vehicle': any mechanically self-
propelled vehicle circulating on the road, 
other than a vehicle running on rails, and 
normally used for carrying passengers or 
goods; 
(b) 'tractor': any mechanically self-propelled 
vehicle circulating on the road, other than a 
vehicle running on rails, and specially 
No C 73/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.3.79 
designed to pull, push or move trailers, semi­
trailers, implements or machines; 
(c) 'trailer': any vehicle designed to be coupled to 
a motor vehicle or a tractor; 
(d) 'semi-trailer': a trailer without a front axle 
coupled in such a way that a substantial part 
of its weight and of the weight of its load is 
borne by the tractor or motor vehicle; 
3. 'crew member' means the driver, driver's mate, 
and conductor, defined as follows: 
(a) 'driver': any person who drives the vehicle 
even for a short period, or who is carried in 
the vehicle in order to be available for driving 
if necessary; 
(b) 'driver's mate': any person accompanying the 
driver of a vehicle in order to assist him in 
certain manoeuvres and habitually taking an 
effective part in the transport operations, but 
not being a driver within the meaning of (a); 
(c) 'conductor': any person who accompanies the 
driver of a vehicle used for the carriage of 
passengers and has the particular duty of 
issuing and checking tickets; 
4. 'week' means any period of seven consecutive 
days; 
5. 'daily rest period' means any uninterrupted period 
of at least eight hours during which the crew 
members may freely dispose of their time and are 
entirely free to move about as they please; 
6. (a) 'regular goods services' means transport 
services operated at specified intervals along 
specified routes, goods being loaded and 
unloaded at predetermined stopping points; 
(b) 'regular passenger services' means the services 
defined in Article 1 of Regulation No 117/66/ 
EECC); 
7. 'permissible maximum weight' means the 
maximum authorized operating weight of the 
vehicle fully laden. 
O OJ No 147, 9. 8. 1966, p. 2688/66. SECTION II 
Scope 
Article 2 
1. This Regulation applies to carriage by road by 
means of vehicles registered in a Member State or in 
a third country for any journey made within the 
Community. 
2. However, as from 1 January 1978: 
— the European Agreement concerning the work of 
crews of vehicles engaged in international road 
transport (AETR) shall apply to international 
road transport operations to and /or from third 
countries which are contracting parties to that 
Agreement, or in transit through such countries, 
for the whole of the journey where such 
operations are effected by vehicles registered in a 
Member State or in one of the said third 
countries; 
— transport operations to and/or from a third 
country effected by vehicles registered in a third 
country which is not a contracting party to the 
Agreement shall be subject to the Agreement for 
any journey made within the Community. 
Article 3 
The Community shall enter into any negotiations 
with third countries which may prove necessary for 
the purpose of implementing this Regulation. 
Article 4 
This Regulation shall not apply to carriage by: 
1. vehicles which in construction and equipment are 
suitable for carrying not more than nine persons 
including the driver and are intended for that 
purpose; 
2. vehicles used for the carriage of goods, the 
permissible maximum weight of which, including 
any trailer or semi-trailer, does not exceed 3 • 5 
tonnes; 
3. vehicles used for the carriage of passengers on 
regular services where the route covered by the 
service in question does not exceed 50 kilometres; 
4. vehicles used by the police, gendarmerie, armed 
forces, fire brigades, civil defence, drainage or 
flood prevention authorities, water, gas or 
17.3.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 73/3 
electricity -services, highway authorities and refuse 
collection, telegraph or telephone services, by the 
postal authorities for the carriage of mail, by 
radio or television services or for the detection of 
radio or television transmitters or receivers, or 
vehicles which are used by other public authorities 
for public services and which are not in 
competition with professional road hauliers; 
5. vehicles used for the carriage of sick or injured 
persons and for carrying rescue material, and any 
other specialized vehicles used for medical 
purposes; 
6. tractors with a maximum authorized speed not 
exceeding 30 kilometres per hour; 
7. tractors and other machines used exclusively for 
local agricultural and forestry work; 
8. vehicles used to transport circus and fun-fair 
equipment; 
9. specialized breakdown vehicles. 
SECTION III 
Crew 
Article 5 
1. The minimum ages for drivers engaged in the 
carriage of goods shall be as follows: 
(a) for vehicles, including, where appropriate, 
trailers or semi-trailers, having a permissible 
maximum weight of not more than 7-5 tonnes, 
18 years; 
(b) for other vehicles: 
— 21 years, or 
— 18 years, provided the person concerned 
holds a certificate of professional competence 
recognized by one of the Member States 
confirming that he has completed a training 
course for drivers of vehicles intended for the 
carriage of goods by road. The Council shall, 
on a proposal from the Commission, lay 
down the minimum level of such training by 
1 April 1970 at the latest. 
Where, in accordance with Article 6, there are two 
drivers, one of the drivers shall have reached the age 
of 21 years. 
2. Any driver engaged in the carriage of pass­
engers shall have reached the age of 21 years, and 
meet one of the following conditions: (a) he must have worked for at least one year in the 
carriage of goods as a driver of vehicles with a 
permissible maximum weight exceeding 3-5 
tonnes; 
(b) he must have worked for at least one year as a 
driver of vehicles used to provide the passenger 
services referred to in Article 4 (3); 
(c) he must hold a certificate of professional 
competence recognized by one of the Member 
States confirming that he has completed a 
training course for drivers of vehicles intended 
for the carriage of passengers by road. The 
Council shall, on a proposal from the 
Commission, lay down the minimum level of 
such training by 1 April 1970 at the latest. 
3. The minimum age for drivers' 
conductors shall be 18 years. mates anc 
4. Where any driver engaged in the carriage of 
passengers has reached the age of 21 years he shall 
be exempt from the conditions laid down in 
paragraph 2 (a), (b) and (c): 
— until 30 September 1970, if he has carried on that 
occupation for less than one year at the time 
when this Regulation enters into force; 
— for an indefinite period if he has carried on that 
occupation for at least one year prior to 
1 October 1970. 
5. Each Member State may, as regards those 
persons residing within its territory who on 
1 October 1970 already hold the requisite driving 
licence, suspend application of the rules laid down in 
paragraphs 1 and 2 in respect of carriage within its 
own territory. 
6. Each Member State may, as regards those 
persons residing within its territory who on 
1 October 1970 are already employed as driver's 
mate or conductor, suspend application of the 
provisions of paragraph 3 in respect of carriage 
within its own territory. 
7. In the case of internal transport operations 
carried out within a radius of 50 kilometres from the 
place where the vehicle is based, including muni­
cipalities the centre of which is situated within that 
radius, Member States may reduce the minimum age 
for drivers' mates to 16 years, on condition that this 
is for purposes of vocational training and subject to 
the limits imposed by their internal law on 
employment matters. 
Article 6 
1. Where a driver is engaged in carriage by: 
(a) a motor vehicle or tractor with more than one 
trailer or semi-trailer; 
No C 73/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.3.79 
(b) a motor vehicle or tractor with one trailer or 
semi-trailer where this combination used for the 
carriage of passengers and the permissible 
maximum weight of the trailer or semi-trailer 
exceeds 5 tonnes; 
(c) a motor vehicle or tractor with one trailer or 
semi-trailer where this combination is used for 
the carriage of goods and the permissible 
maximum weight of such combination exceeds 
20 tonnes, 
and the distance to be covered between two 
consecutive daily rest periods exceeds 450 
kilometres, that driver shall from the beginning of 
the journey be accompanied by another driver or 
shall, on reaching the 450th kilometre, be relieved by 
another driver. 
2. Paragraph 1 shall not apply where in these 
vehicles there is in use recording equipment as 
provided for in Article 1 or in Article 20 (1) of 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 1463/70 of 20 July 
1970 on the introduction of recording equipment in 
road transport (*), as last amended by Regulation 
(EEC) No 2828/77 (2). 
SECTION IV 
Driving periods 
Article 7 
1. No period of continuous driving shall exceed 
four hours. 
Any driving period, interrupted by breaks which do 
not at least satisfy the conditions laid down in 
paragraphs (1) and (2) of Article 8 shall be deemed 
to be continuous. 
2. The total period of driving time between two 
consecutive daily rest periods (hereinafter called the 
'daily driving period') shall not exceed eight hours. 
3. In the case of drivers of vehicles other than the 
vehicles referred to in Article 6 the daily driving 
period may, by way of derogation from paragraph 2, 
be extended, not more than twice in any one week, 
to nine hours. 
4. The driving period may in no case exceed 48 
hours in any one week or 92 hours in any two 
consecutive weeks. 
(') OJNoL 164,27. 7. 1970, p. 1. 
O OJ No L 334, 24. 12. 1977, p. 5. Article 8 
1. For drivers of the vehicles referred to in Article 
6, driving shall be interrupted for a period of not less 
than one hour at the end of the first four-hour 
period of continuous driving. 
This break may be replaced by two breaks of not less 
than 30 minutes each, spaced out over the daily 
driving period in such a way that the first sub­
paragraph of Article 7 (1) is complied with. 
2. For drivers of vehicles other than the vehicles 
referred to in Article 6, driving shall be interrupted 
for a period of not less than 30 consecutive minutes 
at the end of the period referred to in the first 
subparagraph of Article 7 (1). 
This break may be replaced by two breaks of not less 
than 20 minutes each or by three breaks of not less 
than 15 minutes each, which may all be spaced out 
over the driving period referred to in the first sub­
paragraph of Article 7 (1) or may in part fall within 
that period and in part immediately follow it. 
3. During the breaks referred to in paragraphs 1 
and 2 of this Article, the driver shall not perform any 
activity covered by Article 14 (2) (c) or (d). 
4. If the vehicle is manned by two drivers, the 
requirements of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article 
shall be deemed to be met if the driver who is having 
his break does not perform any activity covered by 
Article 14 (3) (b). 
Articles 9 and 10 shall be deleted. 
SECTION V 
Rest periods 
Article 11 
1. Every crew member engaged in the carriage of 
goods shall have had a daily rest period of not less 
than 11 consecutive hours during the 24 hour period 
preceding any time when he is performing any 
activity covered by Article 14 (2) (c) or (d). 
The daily rest period referred to in the preceding 
subparagraph may be reduced to nine hours, not 
more than twice in any one week, when such rest is 
17.3.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 73/5 
taken at the place where the crew is based (where 
the vehicle is based), or to eight hours, not more 
than twice in any one week, when such rest is taken 
elsewhere than at the place where the crew is based 
(where the vehicle is based). 
2. Every crew member engaged in the carriage of 
passengers shall have had, during the 24 hour period 
preceding any time when he is performing any 
activity covered by Article 14 (2) (c) or (d): 
— a daily rest period of not less than 10 consecutive 
hours, which shall not be reduced during the 
week, or 
— a daily rest period of not less than 11 consecutive 
hours, which may be reduced twice a week to 10 
consecutive hours and twice a week to nine 
consecutive hours provided that the transport 
operation includes a scheduled break of not less 
than four hours' uninterrupted duration or two 
breaks of not less than two hours' uninterrupted 
duration and that during such breaks the crew 
member concerned does not perform any activity 
covered by Article 14 (2) (c) or (d) or any other 
work in a professional capacity. 
The individual control book provided for in Article 
14 shall contain particulars showing which daily rest 
system is being followed during the week in question 
by every crew member engaged in the carriage of 
passengers. 
3. Where the vehicle is manned by two drivers 
and has no bunk enabling the crew members not per­
forming any activity to lie down comfortably, each 
crew member shall have had a daily rest period of 
not less than 10 consecutive hours during the 27 
hour period preceding any time when he is per­
forming any activity covered by Article 14 (2) (c) 
or (d). 
4. Where the vehicle is manned by two drivers 
and has a bunk enabling crew members not per­
forming any activity to lie down comfortably, each 
crew member shall have had a daily rest period of 
not less than eight consecutive hours during the 30 
hour period preceding any time when he is per­
forming any of the activities covered by Article 14 
(2) (c) or (d). 
5. The daily rest period shall be taken outside the 
vehicle. However, if the vehicle has a bunk the rest. period may be taken on that bunk provided that the 
vehicle is stationary. 
6. Any reductions in the duration of the daily rest 
period made by virtue of the exceptions provided for 
in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be compensated. 
Article 11a 
Where a crew member engaged in the carriage of 
goods or passengers accompanies a vehicle which is 
transported by ferryboat or train, the daily rest 
period may be interrupted not more than once, 
provided the following conditions are fulfilled: 
— that part of the daily rest period spent on land 
may be taken before or after the portion of the 
daily rest period taken on board the ferryboat or 
the train, 
— the period between the two portions of the daily 
rest period must be as short as possible and may 
on no account exceed one hour before embar­
kation or after disembarkation, customs 
formalities being included in the embarkation or 
disembarkation operations, 
— during both portions of the rest period the crew 
member must have access to a bunk or couchette, 
— where a daily rest period is interrupted in this 
way, it shall be increased by two hours, 
— any time spent on board a ferryboat or a train 
and not counted as part of the daily rest period 
shall be regarded as a break as defined in 
Article 8. 
Article 12 
1. In addition to the daily rest periods referred to 
in Article 11, every crew member shall have a weekly 
rest period of not less than 29 consecutive hours, 
which shall be immediately preceded or followed by 
a daily rest period. 
2. The rest period referred to in paragraph 1 may 
be reduced to not less than 24 consecutive hours 
provided that a rest period equivalent to the 
reduction is granted to the crew member concerned 
during the same week. 
3. However, during the period between 1 April 
and 30 September, the weekly rest period ret erred to 
in paragraph 1 hereof may be replaced, for crew 
members of vehicles used for the international road 
transport of passengers, by a rest period of not less 
No C 73/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.3.79 
than 60 consecutive hours to be taken in full before 
the expiry of a period not exceeding 14 consecutive 
days. This rest period must be immediately preceded 
or followed by a daily rest period conforming to the 
provisions of Article 11. 
Subparagraph 1 shall not apply to crew members of 
vehicles assigned to regular passenger services. nature and reasons for such departure in the 
individual control book, or on the record sheet of 
the recording equipment. 
SECTION VII 
SECTION Va 
Prohibition of certain types of payment 
Article 12a 
Payments to wage-earning crew members, even in 
the form of bonuses or wage supplements, related to 
distances travelled and/or the amount of goods 
carried shall be prohibited, unless these payments are 
of such a kind as not to endanger road safety. 
SECTION VI 
Exceptions 
Article 13 
1. Each Member State may apply higher minima 
or lower maxima than those laid down in Article 5 
and Articles 7 to 12 and may refrain from applying 
Article 6 (2). Nevertheless, the provisions of this 
Regulation shall remain applicable to crew members 
engaged in international transport operations on 
vehicles registered in another State. 
2. From the date of entry into force of this Regu­
lation, the Commission shall, every other year, 
submit to the Council a report on the development 
of the situation in the fields covered by this Regu­
lation. 
Article 13a 
Provided that road safety is not thereby jeopardized, 
the driver may, in case of danger, in circumstances 
outside his control, to render assistance, or as a 
result of a breakdown, and to the extent necessary to 
ensure the safety of persons, of the vehicle or of its 
load, and to enable him to reach a suitable stopping 
place or, according to circumstances, the end of his 
journey, depart from the provisions of Articles 6, 7 
(2) and (4), and 11. The driver shall indicate the Control procedures and penalties 
Article 14 
1. Crew members of a vehicle not assigned to a 
regular service shall carry an individual control book 
conforming to the model in the Annex to this Regu­
lation. That Annex (version of 28 February 1972, 
Regulation (EEC) No 514/72), forms an integral 
part of this Regulation. 
However, until the entry into force of the AETR 
Agreement, the individual control book as shown in 
the Annex to Regulation (EEC) No 543/69 in its 
version of 25 March 1969 may equally be used. 
However, in the case of drivers of vehicles registered 
in a third country which is not a party to the AETR 
Agreement, the Commission shall, on the application 
of a Member State, approve a control book of a 
model different from the model shown in the Annex, 
on condition that such model does not differ in 
essential points from the model laid down by the 
Community. The Commission shall notify the other 
Member States accordingly. 
2. Members of the crew shall from day to day 
enter in the daily sheets of the individual control 
book details of the following periods: 
(a) under the symbol: 
daily rest periods; 
(b) under the symbol: rf1 
breaks from work of not less than 15 minutes; 
(c) under the symbol: (&>. 
driving periods; 
(d) under the symbol: IZJ 
other periods of attendance at work. 
3. Each Member State may prescribe, in respect of 
individual control books issued in its territory, that 
the periods covered by paragraph 2 (d) should be 
subdivided so as to show separately: 
17.3.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 73/7 
(a) under the symbol 0 : 
— waiting time, that is to say the period during 
which crew members must be at their place 
of work only for the purpose of answering 
any calls to carry out or resume any of the 
duties covered by paragraph 2 (c) or by 
subparagraph (b) of this paragraph; 
— time spent beside the driver while the vehicle 
is on the move; 
— time spent on a bunk while the vehicle is on 
the move; 
(b) under the symbol y\ : 
all other working periods. 
4. Any Member State may take the necessary 
measures to exempt crew members of vehicles 
registered in its territory carrying out internal 
transport operations from having to enter in the 
daily sheets of the individual control book any 
period of time covered by paragraph 2 which can be 
suitably recorded by means of recording equipment 
fitted on the vehicle and approved in accordance 
with Article 20 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 
1463/70 of 20 July 1970 on the introduction of 
recording equipment in road transport ('), without 
prejudice to the implementation of that Regulation 
as a whole with effect from the dates laid down in 
Articles 4 and 20 thereof. 
Information thus recorded shall be shown in the 
weekly report in the individual control book. 
5. When crew members subject to the provisions 
of paragraph 4 are engaged in an international 
transport operation, the periods of time thus 
recorded covering the seven previous days shall, in 
so far as they have not been entered in the weekly 
report in accordance with the second subparagraph 
of paragraph 4, be shown in the daily sheets of the 
individual control book. 
6. Crew members shall produce the individual 
control book whenever required to do so by any 
authorized inspecting officer. 
7. All undertakings shall keep a register of the 
individual books, which shall show the name of each 
crew member to whom a book is issued, an 
acknowledgement of receipt by the crew member, 
the number of the book, its date of issue and the date of the last daily sheet completed. It shall be 
produced at the request of any authorized inspecting 
officer. 
8. All completed individual books shall be kept by 
the undertaking for at least one year. 
9. Member States shall take all necessary 
measures concerning the issue and control of the 
books. 
Article 14a 
1. In the case of internal goods transport 
operations carried out within a radius of 50 
kilometres from the place where the vehicle is based, 
including municipalities the centre of which is 
situated within that radius, Member States may: 
(a) after consulting 
exemption the Commission, grant 
(') OJNo L 164, 27. 7. 1970, p. 1. (i) from Articles 7 (1) and 8. The daily driving 
period must, however, include sufficient 
breaks to ensure that the periods laid down 
in Article 8 (1) and (2) are observed and 
that, in each case, there is a break of at least 
30 minutes or two breaks of not less than 15 
minutes each; 
(ii) as regards the transport of harvest produce 
and in respect of not more than thirty days 
in any year, from Article 11 (1), provided 
that a daily rest period of not less than 10 
consecutive hours is observed and that the 
reduction in the daily rest period is made 
good by a corresponding additional rest 
period to be taken immediately before or 
after the weekly rest period; 
(iii) in respect of the transport of milk from 
farm to dairy and vice versa, 
— from Article 11 (1), provided that a daily 
rest period of not less than eight 
consecutive hours is observed and that a 
break in driving of not less than four 
consecutive hours is taken in the course 
of the day, during which the crew 
member does not perform any activity 
covered by subparagraph (c) or (d) of 
Article 14 (2) or any other work in a 
professional capacity; 
— from Article 12, provided that the 
maximum driving permitted during the 
period intended for the weekly rest is 
not more than twice two hours. 
No C 73/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.3.79 
(b) until the compulsory installation of the recording 
equipment provided for in Article 1 of Regu­
lation (EEC) No 1463/70, grant exemption from 
Article 14, provided: 
— that the vehicles in question are fitted with 
recording equipment conforming to Article 
20 of that Regulation; or 
— that Member States, after consulting the 
Commission, take appropriate measures to 
keep an effective check on compliance with 
the provisions applicable to such transport 
operations as will ensure that standards of 
employee protection and road safety are not 
impaired. 
2. Member States may, after consulting the 
Commission, grant exemptions from this Regulation 
for the following national transport operations and 
uses: 
(a) use of vehicles which are constructed and 
equipped to carry not more than 15 persons 
including the driver; 
(b) use of vehicles undergoing local road tests for 
purposes of repair or maintenance; 
(c) transport of live animals from farms to local 
markets and vice versa, and transport of animal 
carcases or waste not intended for human 
consumption. 
3. Member States may, after authorization by the 
Commission, grant exemptions from this Regulation 
for the following national transport operations and 
uses: 
(a) use of specialized vehicles at local markets, for 
door-to-door selling, for mobile banking, 
exchange or savings transactions, for purposes of 
worship, for the lending of books, records or 
cassettes, for cultural events or mobile 
exhibitions; 
(b) transport of milk from the farm to the dairy and 
vice versa. 
In adopting these measures the Commission may 
specify the conditions and arrangements for their 
application which it deems necessary. 
4. To enable transport services to provide 
assistance to the population of particular areas 
during temporary emergencies, Member States may 
grant temporary exemptions from Sections IV and V 
for national transport. They shall forthwith notify the measures they have taken to the Commission, 
which may amend or annul them. 
5. Where an exemption from this Regulation is 
granted, Member States shall take appropriate 
measures at the same time to keep an effective check 
on such transport so as to ensure that standards of 
social protection and road safety are not impaired. 
Article 15 
1. All operators of regular services shall draw up a 
service timetable and a duty roster. 
2. The duty roster shall show, in respect of each 
crew member, the name, date of birth, place, where 
based and the schedule, which shall have been laid 
down in advance, for the various periods of time 
covered by Article 14 (2) and (3). 
3. The duty roster shall include all the particulars 
specified in paragraph 2 for a minimum period 
covering both the current week and the weeks 
immediately preceding and following that week. 
4. The duty roster shall be signed by the head of 
the undertaking or by a person authorized to 
represent him. 
5. Each crew member assigned to a regular service 
shall carry an extract from the duty roster and a 
copy of the service timetable. 
Article 16 
The Council shall, on a proposal from the 
Commission and by 31 December 1969 at the latest, 
determine the technical characteristics of mechanical 
recording equipment to replace, as far as possible, 
the individual control book prescribed by Article 14. 
At the same time, it shall, on a proposal from the 
Commission, determine the details concerning the 
approval, use and inspection of such recording 
equipment. At the same time the Council shall fix the 
dates from which vehicles — taking separately those 
brought into service for the first time and all other 
vehicles — shall be fitted with the abovementioned 
mechanical recording equipment. 
Article 17 
1. Each year the Commission shall present to the 
Council a general report on the implementation of 
this Regulation by Member States. 
17.3.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 73/9 
2. In order to enable the Commission to draw up 
the report referred to in paragraph 1, Member States 
shall communicate annually to the Commission the 
necessary information, using a standard form of 
report to be drawn up by the Commission after 
consulting the Member States. 
Article 18 
1. Member States shall, in due time and after 
consulting the Commission, adopt such laws, regu­
lations or administrative provisions as may be 
necessary for the implementation of this Regulation. 
Such measures shall cover, inter alia, the organi­
zation of, procedure for and means of control and 
the penalties to be imposed in case of breach. 
2. Member States shall assist each other in 
applying the provisions of this Regulation and 
checking compliance therewith. 
3. If it is brought to the notice of the competent 
authorities of a Member State that a breach of the 
provisions of this Regulation has been committed by 
a crew member of a vehicle registered in another 
Member State, those authorities may notify the 
authorities of the State where the vehicle is 
registered of such breach. The competent authorities 
shall send each other all the information in their 
possession concerning the penalties imposed for such 
breaches. 
SECTION VIII 
Final provisions 
Article 19 
1. This Regulation shall enter into force on 
1 April 1969. 
2. From 1 October 1969, this Regulation shall 
apply to international transport operations between 
Member States. 
3. From 1 October 1970, this Regulation shall 
apply to all transport operations covered by Article 2 
of this Regulation. 4. By way of derogation from the provisions of 
Article 7 (2) and until 31 December 1973, the daily 
driving period for any vehicle, irrespective of type, 
registered in a third country and being used for 
carriage from or to a third country shall not exceed 
nine hours. 
NB 
Transitory provisions (Article 2 of Council Regu­
lation (EEC) No 2827/77) 
Article 2 
1. If in the first three years after entry into force 
of this Regulation (1 January 1978), application of 
Articles 7 to 12 of Regulation (EEC) No 543/69 
would cause serious difficulties in the field of 
transport or difficulties which could lead to a serious 
deterioration in the national or regional economic 
situation, a Member State may request an authori­
zation from the Commission to adopt protective 
measures involving exemptions from these Articles 
for national transport operations on its territory. 
2. At the request of the Member State concerned, 
the Commission shall at once prescribe the 
exemptions which it considers necessary and specify 
the conditions and special procedure for their 
application, which must include a programme for a 
progressive return by regular stages to the provisions 
of Regulation (EEC) No 543/69. It shall take care 
to ensure that there is no regression by comparison 
with what has already been achieved in practice in 
terms of social protection and road safety under the 
rules existing at the time of entry into force of this 
Regulation. 
3. The Commission shall without delay inform the 
other Member States of the exemptions which it has 
granted and of the detailed rules for their 
application. It shall report to the Council every six 
months on the progress made and the measures 
taken to ensure that at the end of the period referred 
to in paragraph 1 all provisions of Regulation (EEC) 
No 543/69 are in force in all the Member States. 
4. All exemptions granted under this Article shall 
cease to apply from 1 January 1981. 
No C 73/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.3.79 
ANNEX 
INDIVIDUAL CONTROL BOOK 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Reminder of the provisions of laws and regulations 
!. It is desirable that the individual control book should contain a reminder of the principal 
provisions to be observed by crew members. 
Numbering of book 
2. The individual control book shall be numbered by perforation or stamping 
Format of book 
3. The individual control book shall have the standard \6 format (10.5 x 148 mm) or a larger 
format. 
Signing of book 
4. The signature of the crew members shall appear on both the daily sheet and the weekly report. 
The employer's signature shall appear on the weekly report. 
Contents of book 
5. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 7, the individual control book shall conform to the 
attached model; it shall comprise: 
(a) a front sheet; 
(b) instructions for the use of the book; 
(c) daily sheets; 
(d) an example of a completed daily >hcet; 
(e) weekly reports. 
Simultaneous use of more than one book 
6. Member States shall take appropriate measures to prevent the simultaneous use by one crew 
member of more than one individual record book. 
Special national provisions 
7. Each Member State may require, in respect of the individual control books issued in its territory: 
(a) that the chart on the daily record sheet be set out in a single strip covering the period from 
midnight to midnight (0 to 24 hours); 
(b) that the daily sheet be kept in more than one copy; 
(c) that additional particulars or headings, or variants, be inserted, provided that the general 
layout of the book remains unaltered and that the numbers or capital letters opposite the 
items as shown in the model are left unchanged; 
(d) such amendment or additional information as provisions adopted pursuant to Article 14 
of Regulation (EEC) No 54.3/69 may require in connection with the symbols corresponding 
to items 7 \_/j, 7a $£, 14 \/\ and 14a ^ of the daily sheet; 
(e) that the boxes opposite items Ha, Hb and/or I of the weekly report should nor be completed : 
(f) that daily sheets more than two weeks old be detached; 
17.3.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 73/11 
MODEL INDIVIDUAL CONTROL BOOK 
(a) Front sheet 
I INDIVIDUAL CONTROL BOOK 
FOR CREW MEMBERS 
IN ROAD TRANSPORT 
II. Country: 
III. Date book first used: 19 
IV. Date book last used: 19 
V. Surname, first name(s), date of birth and address of holder of book: 
VI. Name, address, telephone number and stamp (if any) of the undertaking: 
Book No 
No C 73/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.3.79 
(b) Instructions 
INSTRUCTIONS 
FOR THE USE OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONTROL BOOK 
1. This individual control book is issued in conformity with (specify relevant laws and regulations). 
To the Undertaking 
2. After completing items V and VI on the front sheet, issue a book to each crew member employed by you, in 
conformity with the laws and regulations referred to in paragraph 1 above. 
3. Keep a register showing the names of the persons to whom books have been issued, the serial number of each 
book issued, and the dates of issue. Require the holder to sign in the margin of the register. 
4. Give the holder the necessary instructions for correct use of the book. 
5. Examine the daily sheets and the weekly report every week or, if prevented from doing so, as soon thereafter as 
possible. Sign the weekly report. 
6. Withdraw the used books, observing the time-limit specified in paragraph 9 below, and hold them at the disposal 
of the authorized inspecting officers for not less than one year. Enter the date of the last daily sheet in the register 
referred to in paragraph 3 above. 
To Crew Members 
7. This control book is personal. Carry it with you when on duty and produce it to any authorized inspecting officer 
on request. Hand it over to your employer when you leave the undertaking. 
8. Produce this control book to your employer every week or, if prevented from doing so, as soon thereafter as possible, 
so that he can check your entries and sign the weekly report. 
9. When the book is completed, keep it for two weeks so that you can produce it at any time to an authorized inspecting 
officer, and then hand it as soon as possible to your employer. Keep a copy of the weekly reports. 
Front sheet 
10. Make sure that your surname, first name(s), date of birth and address are filled in correctly (item V). 
11. Enter the date on which you first use the book (item III). 
1 2. After use, enter the date when you last used the book (item IV). 
Daily sheet 
13. Fill in a daily sheet for every day on which you have been employed as a crew member. 
14. Enter in box 2 the registration number of any vehicle used during the day. 
15. The symbols used have the following meaning: 
[:. .}l total period of uninterrupted rest before going on duty 
^ ^ daily rest period 
prfl breaks 
&•••, driving period 
17.3.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 73/13 
(1st variant)!/ 
'^/\ periods of attendance at work 
(2nd variant)!/ 
J$ actual work other than driving; 
'y_ J periods of attendance at work other than those covered by symbols (*• , and J$. 
16. Enter your period of daily rest (symbol j^l^l), breaks (symbol hf>) and the time during which you were engaged 
in activities represented by symbols [first variant]!/ 6 (ps , 7((/j, [second variant]!/ 6 0^ , 1 / and 7a J$, by 
drawing a horizontal line across the hours concerned opposite the appropriate symbol, and connect the horizontal 
lines by vertical lines. There will thus be a continuous line over the full length of each strip (see exarrtple in the book). 
17. Entries must be made at the beginning and end of each period to which they relate. 
18. In box 16 ('Remarks') enter the name of the second driver, if any. This box may also be used to explain any breach 
of the requirements or to correct particulars given elsewhere (see paragraph 24). The employer or an inspecting 
officer may also insert his remarks in this box. 
19. Opposite box 12^: ll, enter the number of hours of uninterrupted rest (daily rest) taken immediately before 
coming on duty. If this period begins in one day and ends in the following day the figure will be the total achieved 
by adding together the rest period taken at the end of the previous day and the rest period taken at the beginning 
of the day to which the sheet relates. 
20. Before departure, enter opposite 'Beginning of duty' in box 11 the number of kilometres (miles) shown on the 
recorder; at the end of duty, enter opposite 'End of duty' in box 11 the new number of kilometres (miles) shown 
on the recorder and note the total distance covered. 
21. Sign the daily sheet. 
!/ The variant used will depend on the choice made by the Member State in accordance with Article 14 (2) and (3) 
of Regulation (EEC) No 543/69. Only the variant so selected will appear in the individual control book. 
Weekly report 
22. This report should be made out at the end of every period of one week in which one or more daily sheets have 
been made out. For days on which you were on duty without being a crew member, i.e. for which there was no 
need to make out a daily sheet, enter the figure '0' opposite box G and the duration of duty periods opposite boxes 
Ha and Hb; if you did not engage in a particular activity, enter the figure '0' opposite the appropriate box. For 
days on which you were not on duty, enter the figure '0' opposite boxes G, Ha and Hb and add an explanation, 
such as 'on leave', 'day off. 
23. Enter opposite boxes F and G the figures shown opposite boxes 12 and 13 of the relevant daily sheets. 
General note 
24. No erasures, corrections or additions may be made in the book. Any mistakes, even of form only, must be corrected 
under 'Remarks' (box 16). 
25. No sheets must be destroyed. 
26. All entries must be made in ink or with a ball-point pen. 
No C 73/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.3.79 
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17.3.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 73/15 
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No C 73/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.3.79 
Note 1: In practice, boxes 10 and 10a will both be completed on the same daily sheet only where 
a crew member has carried out a passenger transport operation and a goods transport 
operation on the same day. In box 10a (completed only by crew members of passenger 
vehicles) the entry should be either '10 h' or '11 h\ according to the system of daily rest 
periods applying to the crew member. 
Note 2: Opposite box 12, if 12 hours is entered as the total period of uninterrupted rest taken 
prior to going on duty, this means that the driver went off duty at 7 p.m. on the previous 
day, because adding the 5 hours from 7 p.m. to midnight on the previous day to the 
7 hours entered in box 4 gives a total of 12 hours. 
17.3.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 73/17 
(e) Weekly report 
A. Surname and first name(s) of crew member 
B WEEKLY REPORT 
C. From to 19 inclusive 
D. Days of the 
weekly period 
E. Daily sheet 
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K. Remarks: 
L. Date of preceding weekly rest period: 
M. Signature of crew member: 
N. Signature of employer: 
Book No