Who we are

Created by the decree of 14 November 1949, the CNR built, managed and controlled the Compulsory Road Pricing (TRO), applicable to long-distance freight transport for hire or reward as part of the policy of coordination between rail and road. The liberalization of transport policy and in particular the abolition of the TRO led the public authorities in 1989 to transform the CNR into a Professional Committee for Economic Development. In 2001, the missions had been extended to the whole road freight sector, disregarding range question. The 31st of March 2021, the CNR competences were extended to passenger road public transport.
The statutes of the CNR are defined by articles R3441-20 et seq. of the transport code.

• Participate in the observation and monitoring of the economic aspects of the road transportation markets, in particular through cost analysis, and disseminate the information it collects and the economic analyses it carries out.
• Carrying out research works and socio-economic studies concerning the goods or passengers transport markets that are useful to all transport professionals.
• To develop and disseminate management tools useful to road transport operators.
• To carry out any mission of general interest for the profession.

The Minister in charge of transport may refer to the National Road Committee any request within the framework of the missions defined above.

The CNR is a technical organism whose primary mission is the observation of the functioning of the road transport markets and whose scope of action has progressively extended from only national transport under French flag to all transport carried out in the European area. It is also a think-tank where professional managers analyze the situation and the future of the sector, with the help of qualified personalities and the contribution of work prepared by a team of permanent staff.

By virtue of the mission of general interest entrusted to it by the State, it informs but also alerts economic circles and the Ministry in charge of transport of the observed developments.

Its work is mainly aimed at companies. Particular attention is paid to SMEs and VSEs, knowing that 80% of the 35,000 road freight transport companies and 4,000 road passenger transport companies employ less than 10 people.

CNR is the only French organization with extensive expertise in observing changes in operating conditions and cost components. From the data collected, it recomposes operating cost references for road transport and establishes indexes which constitute supports for free negotiation. As such, the CNR is a producer of official public statistics. This mission is carried out under the aegis of a Scientific Council, independent of the profession, currently chaired by a university professor and including several INSEE administrators. The Scientific Council certifies the methodology and guarantees the objectivity of the results.

At the heart of the propulsion energy product legal indexation system (Articles L3222-1 and 2 of the French Transport Code), the CNR plays a leading role, both in disseminating the reference indicators used in the indexation mechanism and in its educational initiatives to promote good price adjustment practices (compulsory diesel indexation law in RFT was extended to any propulsion energy product in August 2022).

It develops calculation and even management tools to help companies better calculate their own cost prices. These tools are freely available on the CNR website. They have a dual purpose: informative and educational.

The CNR carries out economic analyses on its own initiative or at the request of the Ministry of Transport. These relate to particular segments of activity, the impact of new regulations (e.g. 44 tons, changes in the so-called "Fillon" load reductions) or planned provisions (e.g. impact of the PL eco-tax, CO2 information), particularly those relating to sustainable development policy.
In the international field, monographic studies are carried out on the RFT sectors of the main competing countries in the European Union.

It should be noted that the objectivity of CNR's work is recognized by both carriers and shippers (customers in industry, mass distribution, etc.). The professional media widely relay the CNR's information.

The National Road Committee is administered by a Board of Directors of twenty-for members appointed by order of the Minister responsible for transport.

It is thus composed of:

a) Sixteen members (two thirds) appointed on the proposal of the professional organizations representing road freight public haulers, commission agents and passenger road public carriers.

• National Road Transport Federation (FNTR)
• National Passenger Transport Federation (FNTV)
• Organisation of European Road Transport Operators (OTRE)
• Federation of Transport and Logistics Companies of France (TLF)

b) Eight (one third) qualified persons designated by the Minister responsible for transport.

The Board of Directors shall elect from among its members a Chairman and Vice-Chairmen whose appointment shall be subject to the approval of the Minister responsible for transport.

A scientific council has been created in conjunction with the board of directors.

It approves of the methodology put forward for economic observation. It is mandatorily consulted for the survey campaigns presented by the board of directors. It gives its opinion about the subject and contents of the surveys. Its role is essential in acknowledging the rigor, objectivity, and independence of CNR's works.

The scientific council is made up of six members who are appointed as follows:

a) Four persons chosen by the minister of transports on the grounds of their skills in the transport field.

• Mr. Dominique AUVERLOT, member of the General Inspection of the Environment and Sustainable Development
• Ms Sabine BESSIERE, head of the transportation statistic Department at the Ministry of transports
• Ms Christine CHAMBAZ, head of the department of sectoral syntheses – INSEE
• Mr. Kiarash MOTAMEDI, deputy head of an economics studies Department at the Ministry of transports

b) Two qualified persons appointed by the board of directors for a three-year mandate:

• Mr. Yves CROZET, Honorary Professor at the Lyon University, Chairman of the Scientific Council
• Mr. François MIRABEL, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Economics at the Montpellier University