Brussels, 25/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - Following the umpteenth request by the European Parliament for clarification of the sudden reinterpretation on the part of Commissioner Siim Kallas of the rules on cross-border mega-lorry traffic, the Commission has now confirmed that MEPs will have to use the opportunity presented by the review of Directive 96/53/EC on the weight and size of lorries, if they are going to tackle the subject effectively. The presentation of the review on this directive is expected on 12 April next.
On 12 March, the president of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso, responded in a letter to the urgent request from the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, last February “to clarify European legislation on the question of mega-lorries and to include this aspect in the proposal for the forthcoming review, before submitting it to co-legislators” (see EUROPE 10780). There will be quite simply nothing about this because, as Barroso indicates in his answer a month later, “the debate should focus on urgent social, environmental and economic imperatives at the source of this review”, such as how to reduce fuel consumption through aerodynamics, facilitating intermodal transport and ensuring improved implementation of the directive, particularly for heavy-duty vehicles that cause damage to the infrastructure. Barroso accepts that “the European Parliament should have an opportunity for giving its opinion on other issues, including the cross-border use of longer trucks”. He notes, however, that the review will take into account “the main orientation points provided by Vice-President Kallas”. These points do not have any legislative bearing and state that mega-lorries can now be driven between two countries that agree on their use.
By acting in this way, the Commission is, once again, putting the ball back into the court of the European Parliament, which is, however, expecting the European Commission to assume its responsibilities in this field. No one doubts that the presentation of the review of Directive 96/53/EC on 12 April next will cause a stir about this at the European Parliament. Nonetheless, MEPs are still divided on the use of mega-lorries and how widely they should be able to operate. (MD/transl.fl)