Brussels, 18/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - The "additional" Transport Council organised by the French Council Presidency to take stock of the impact the oil crisis will have on transport will finally be held on Wednesday 20 September in Luxembourg, from 17h30. In a note presented on Monday to the Member States, the Presidency proposed to centre discussions around three points:
Development of transport alternative to road transport. "The rise in oil prices must speed up the evolution of common transport policy in a direction that is more favourable for means of transport that are more environment-friendly, safer and consume less energy", notes the Presidency. The following questions are therefore put to Ministers: "How can the establishment of a trans-European rail freight network be speeded up and how can financing be increased, as well as that for main rail routes and combined transport, and how can there be guaranteed adequate infrastructure tariffs? What instruments should be used for this additional funding? How should effective and adapted means of urban transport be promoted?"
The ministers are expected to discuss in this context the "rail package" which provides for extending rail access to new operators on a trans-European rail freight network and which prepares the ground for future liberalisation by clarifying the functions of transport service providers and those of infrastructure managers. This package should, in principle, be adopted in December. The Council, however, is opposed to the Parliament, which, by adopting the Jarzembowski report this summer, called for rail liberalisation for freight from 2005 and for passenger transport from 2010 (see EUROPE of 7 July, p.13). The Council and the Parliament will hold a "conciliation meeting" on the subject on 12 October.
The European Commission should also seize this opportunity to anticipate the content of its future Green Paper on transport prices expected in coming months.
Working conditions in road transport. "The Council has for several years now been discussing measures linked to working conditions in this sector with a view to establishing fair competition conditions. Is not the setting in place of such measures urgent? (control, hours worked, training, restrictions to third country labour)", asks the Presidency.
Ministers will therefore tackle the subject of the "social package", which should be the subject of a "common position" during the Transport Council on 2 October. There are still differences of opinion over the outcome for independent hauliers in the context of the European legislation on working hours (see EUROPE of 16 September, p.15).
Taxation of hydrocarbons. "Should the rise in oil prices lead to taking, in as harmonised a manner as possible and at Community level, measures in favour of certain professions that are particularly concerned, without bringing into question the general policy of taxation on hydrocarbons?" asks the Presidency.
The ministers are expected to keep to the general declarations made on this subject which, at the centre of the conflict with European hauliers, come more into the sphere of competence of finance ministers rather than transport ministers, it was noted during the work in preparation for this "additional" council.