The Federation of Businesses of the Congo (FEC) is challenging the legality of levies imposed by the National Road Safety Commission (CNPR) on goods transport vehicles in the provinces of Haut-Katanga and Lualaba.

In a letter dated Dec. 11, 2025, addressed to Jean-Pierre Bemba, the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Transport, the employers’ organisation said that what it described as unauthorised charges and harassment of economic operators were continuing. It called on the Deputy Prime Minister to intervene to bring these levies to an end.

The FEC said the CNPR is collecting fees linked to the identification of vehicles, individuals and transported goods, despite the fact that its founding statutes do not explicitly give it the authority to do so. According to the organisation, these practices directly affect companies operating in the transport, mining, agro-industrial and beverage sectors by raising logistics costs and worsening the business environment.

The FEC recalled that consultations held in May 2025 had recommended abolishing certain charges deemed to be non-compliant. However, it said the levies have not only been maintained but have intensified.

The CNPR has also introduced a new fee known as “loading surveillance,” set at $25 per trip per vehicle, intended to cover the presence of its agents during loading operations at company sites. These costs are compounded by other charges that can reach $100 per container, as well as ad-hoc fines in the event of an accident.

Based on FEC estimates, a company producing around 18,000 tonnes of copper could face annual costs of up to $950,000 from the loading surveillance fee alone, excluding container-related charges and any potential fines.

The organisation also said the CNPR is acting on behalf of both the central government and the provinces, and in some cases on its own behalf, notably on the basis of a ministerial decree dated July 30, 2020, the legality of which is being challenged by economic operators. According to the FEC, these practices contravene several legal provisions currently in force.

The CNPR is a specialised technical body under the Ministry of Transport, created by ministerial decree on Dec. 18, 2006, with a nationwide mandate. Its role is to propose a coordinated road safety policy to the government and to oversee sectoral studies and initiatives aimed at improving safety on the national road network. The commission is headquartered in Kinshasa and operates through provincial directorates across the country.

Ronsard Luabeya