Brussels, 19/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) is taking a tougher stance with regard to the Commission following the letter from Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas in which he allows cross-border use of gigaliners (lorries over 18.75 metres in length) under a new interpretation of European law (see EUROPE 10636). MEPs, in the belief that the commissioner has exceeded his authority, want the legal affairs (JURI) committee to shed light on the matter. Whether for or against cross-border use of gigaliners, members of the EP transport (TRAN) committee are as one in holding that this sudden reinterpretation of Directive 96/53 does not comply with co-decision. TRAN coordinators reached the conclusion on Monday 18 June that the matter should be referred to the EP President and that he should seek the advice of the JURI committee. “No matter whether or not gigaliners are a good or bad idea, the problem is the process - the Commission is completely bypassing the European Parliament”, said TRAN Chairman Brian Simpson (S&D, UK). He said the committee wanted more legal light to be shone on the issue to see if the EP had been by-passed by the Commission. Others went further: Michael Kramer (Greens/EFA, Germany) said in the TRAN meeting: “We cannot accept this procedure. If necessary we will take the matter to the courts”. All agreed that, in going it alone, Kallas has brought more legal uncertainty. Mathieu Grosch (EPP, Belgium) said: “If we are now interpreting the law in exactly the opposite way from two years ago, people and companies will not know if they should buy these lorries”. (MD/transl.rt)