On 13 September 2026, the European Labour Authority (ELA) brought its information roadshow directly to professional HGV drivers at Circle K Belgium – Jabbeke North, an ESPORG member parking area certified at Gold level according to the EU Parking Standard and located on the A10/E40 European route in the direction of Ostend, Belgium.
The roadshow brought together representatives of the European Labour Authority, ESPORG and European and Belgian social partners. ESPORG General Manager Dirk Penasse participated alongside Johan Staes, CEO of Transport en Logistiek Vlaanderen (TLV), a valued ESPORG member. Representatives of the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the Belgian trade unions ABVV – Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond and ACV – Algemeen Christelijk Vakverbond also participated, bringing the perspectives of workers and social partners directly into the exchanges with drivers.
Direct interaction with professional drivers formed the core of the ELA roadshow: approaching drivers at their lorries and engaging them in discussion, as well as welcoming them at the ELA stand. The event was built around a simple but important principle: meeting professional drivers where they work and stop on the road. And safe and secure parking areas provide exactly that – an ideal setting for engaging with drivers in their everyday working environment.
Following an initial briefing and walkthrough of the truck stop, participants went out into the parking area to speak directly with HGV drivers. Interpreters were available to facilitate communication, and the programme dedicated two substantial periods along the day to these exchanges. This on-the-ground approach provided an opportunity to make information more accessible while creating space for direct dialogue with drivers working across borders and operating in an increasingly complex European transport environment.
The roadshow also demonstrated why truck parking areas can be particularly effective locations for reaching this mobile workforce. Drivers from different countries and companies come together at these facilities as part of their normal journeys, making parking areas natural contact points for information, services and dialogue.
From roadshow to permanent presence: the ELA Information Corner
The roadshow also marked an important development intended to extend its impact beyond a single day: the soft launch of a permanent ELA Information Corner at Circle K Belgium – Jabbeke North.
Circle K Belgium – Jabbeke North is not simply another roadside parking facility. It is an ESPORG member Safe and Secure Parking Area (SSPA) on an important European transport corridor. Its Gold certification under the EU Parking Standard is significant: the site combines security and services for professional drivers and now also provides a permanent channel for official information.
Safe and secure parking is no longer only a place to stop. It is increasingly becoming a place where professional drivers can receive clear, practical information on the rules that govern their working day.
“The ELA Information Corner at Circle K Belgium – Jabbeke North shows how certified safe and secure parking areas can serve a wider purpose: bringing reliable information and practical support directly to professional drivers. ESPORG members certified under the EU Parking Standard are ideally placed to connect European initiatives with drivers where they work and rest.”
— Dirk Penasse, General Manager, ESPORG
