Brussels, 29/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 29 January, Jorg Leichtfried (S&D, Austria), the rapporteur on the revision of the directive on the weights and dimensions of lorries, presented the results of the inter-institutional negotiations, to members of the EP transport committee (TRAN).
He recognised that the compromise obtained at the end of December with the Council (see EUROPE 11216) was “not exactly” what he wanted but said that he was eager to obtain an optimum position from the European Parliament. He provided details to his colleagues about the different agreements obtained, such as those on the aerodynamic safety mechanisms, the incorporation of alternative fuels, weight sensors and the definition of intermodal transport (to be proposed by the Commission). He admitted that the most difficult discussion had focused on the introduction of the aerodynamic elements because the Council did not want any immediate compulsion in this connection. The compromise obtained sets the date for introducing the new cabin designs in 2022, three years after technical harmonisation, which still needs to be proposed by the European Commission. Nonetheless, the rapporteur highlighted the fact that member states that wanted to could make these new mechanisms applicable earlier on. The whole text will enter into application in 2017 and a revision clause is planned for three years later, which could possibly allow the question of the cross-border traffic of mega lorries, to be discussed in a calmer atmosphere. This problem has given rise to a real saga over the past three years, due to different Commission interpretations and divisions at the European Parliament (the Nordic delegations supported it).
MEPs at the TRAN committee gave a warm welcome to the work carried out by Leichtfried. Ismail Ertug, however, indicated that it could have perhaps been completed earlier if “the Commission had not forced us to allow longer lorries beyond the borders and if we had not been presented with a fait accompli”. He warned that they would have to ensure that there is an appropriate interpretation of the text in question.
The compromise will be formally adopted by the European Parliament as a single amendment to the Council position during a second reading vote in February or March. (MD)