Cyprus ranks third in EU for dangerous goods road freight

Cyprus recorded the third-highest share of dangerous goods in road freight transport in the EU in 2025, with such cargo accounting for 7.5 per cent of total tonne-kilometres, according to Eurostat. The share rose from 4.9 per cent in 2024, when Cyprus had recorded a sharp fall from 7 per cent a year earlier. Only Finland, at 9.8 per cent, and Ireland, at 7.8 per cent, recorded higher shares in 2025. At the other end, Lithuania had the lowest share at 0.7 per cent, while Portugal and Slovakia each stood at 1.9 per cent. The other reporting EU countries were Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Malta is excluded from Eurostat’s road freight statistics because it is exempt from reporting under the relevant EU regulation. Overall, dangerous goods, including flammable liquids, toxic substances and explosives, represented 4 per cent of EU road freight transport when measured in tonne-kilometres. The figures come as road freight activity also increased in Cyprus during 2025. According to the statistical service, the weight of goods transported by road within Cyprus rose by 4.8 per cent over the year, while freight transported to and from the island increased by 10 per cent. The increase was particularly pronounced towards the end of the year. In the fourth quarter alone, the weight of goods transported within Cyprus rose 19.4 per cent year on year, while freight to and from the island increased by 14.2 per cent. Across the EU, 13.29bn tonnes of goods were transported by road in 2025, an increase of 1.8 per cent compared with 2024. Measured by weight, metal ores, mining and quarrying products formed the largest category, at 3.04bn tonnes, equivalent to 22.9 per cent of the EU total. They were followed by food products, beverages and tobacco, at 1.61bn tonnes, 12.1 per cent, and other non-metallic mineral products, at 1.6bn tonnes, also accounting for 12.1 per cent. The picture differed when road freight was measured in tonne-kilometres, which takes into account both the weight carried and the distance travelled. Food products, beverages and tobacco ranked first at 311.1bn tonne-kilometres, representing 16.6 per cent of the EU total. They were followed by grouped goods, covering different types of goods transported together, at 237.1bn tonne-kilometres, 12.6 per cent, and agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing products at 206.3bn tonne-kilometres, 11 per cent. Overall EU road freight activity reached 1,886bn tonne-kilometres in 2025, up 0.9 per cent from the previous year. Poland remained the EU’s largest road freight operator, with 381bn tonne-kilometres, 20.2 per cent of the total. Germany followed with 277.4bn, Spain with 272.6bn, France with 172.9bn and Italy with 161.7bn. Together, the five countries accounted for 67.1 per cent of EU road freight activity. Cyprus, by comparison, recorded about 1.1bn tonne-kilometres of road freight activity in 2025, broadly unchanged from the previous year. Most EU road freight remained domestic, accounting for 62.2 per cent of total tonne-kilometres. International transport represented 24.4 per cent, cross-trade 10.7 per cent and cabotage 2.7 per cent.