Regulation (EC) n° 561/2006 on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport was published on 11 April 2006 in the Official Journal of the European Union. The introduction of digital tachographs becomes mandatory from 1 May 2006 onwards.

On 26 January 2006, Member States Representatives present at the MIDT Plenary Meeting in Vienna reached a gentlemen’s agreement, which became effective from its adoption until the new  compulsory dates come into force (1st of May 2006). This agreement applied to drivers driving vehicles fitted with digital tachographs and coming from Member States that were not yet able to issue tachographs cards.

The gentlemen’s agreement set out that:

• Drivers from Member States where cards were not yet available will be permitted to drive vehicles fitted with digital tachographs on international journeys provided that they make and keep print-outs to record and store their activities. This would be allowed until new deadlines enter into force;
• These drivers would have therefore to be checked by control officers throughout Europe on the basis of print-outs only;
• Their digital tachograph should, in order to provide print-outs, be activated and calibrated (and which must include the vehicle registration number). This then implied that if workshop cards were not available in their own countries, drivers would have to ensure that their tachograph was activated and calibrated en route during their first journey abroad at the nearest workshop from their national border;
• This agreement was valid until the new deadlines enter into force. After this date, drivers driving vehicles equipped with digital tachographs but are still unable to be issued driver cards by their Member State will be prosecuted (except in those circumstances defined by the Regulation, ie cards lost, stolen or defective).