European legislation covers a broad span of road transport — safety, environmental requirements and drivers' working conditions. Milestones include Regulation (EC) 561/2006 on driving and rest times and the 2020 Mobility Package, which tightened cabotage rules, driver pay and vehicle returns. Safety rules mandate digital tachographs, advanced driver-assistance systems and stricter technical checks. Environmental rules tighten EURO emission standards (EURO 6, with EURO 7 coming), introduce urban low-emission zones and promote alternative fuels such as LNG, HVO and electricity. For Czech carriers the impact is felt mostly in cost: investment in compliant vehicles, fleet modernisation and new technology, plus added administrative and operational load from planning returns and digitalisation. Smaller carriers face the hardest squeeze on competitiveness. The direction is clear — regulation will keep tightening — so the carriers that succeed will be those that embrace innovation, green technology, digitalisation and partnerships with strong logistics providers.