With publication in issue number 125 of the Official Gazette dated 31 May 2025, the new decree from the transport ministry comes into force, introducing additional exemptions from tachograph use in Italy. The primary goal is to ease the operational management of specific types of transport, taking into account the unique challenges posed by short or fragmented routes, while also addressing public health and animal welfare concerns.
In the latter case, the measure introduces an exemption for commercial vehicles used to transport live animals, provided the journeys remain within a maximum radius of one hundred kilometres between farms, local markets and slaughterhouses. The measure is justified both by organisational needs of transport operators and the necessity to minimise stress for animals during transit.
A notable development concerns the transport of animal waste and carcasses not intended for human consumption. The decree recognises the urgency of such operations from a public health perspective, particularly in light of recent outbreaks that have affected certain farms. The exemption allows for swifter intervention in collection and disposal operations, free from the constraints of standard driving times or mandatory tachograph use.
The provision also extends the exemption to a range of vehicles used in essential public services or specialised activities. These include light vehicles operated by the universal postal service, vehicles used for driving instruction (provided it is non-profit), and those engaged in the maintenance of water, electricity and road networks, in household waste management, as well as specialist vehicles used by circuses, amusement parks, or for collecting milk from farms. Armoured vehicles used for the transport of cash or valuables are also exempt.
The new decree repeals the previous measure dated 20 June 2007, which already included some exemptions, now revised and expanded to better meet the needs of the sector. The text has been notified to the European Commission and takes immediate effect from the date of its official publication.
