Brussels, 22/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Council adopted formally on Thursday evening the regulation modifying the breakdown of ecopoints for road transit through Austria (see yesterday's EUROPE, page 9). Austria cast a dissenting vote but allowed the decision to be taken via the written procedure (which it could have prevented had it wished to throw a wrench in the workings of the institutions). Belgium abstained.
To compensate for the increase in traffic recorded in 1999 in Austria, the new regulation reduces total ecopoints by 1,009,498. The cut is less drastic than what was initially proposed by the European Commission, thanks to a compromise making it possible to recover points not used this year. This reduction will be spread over four years: 30% in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and 10% in 2003. In fact, the ecopoints will be distributed among Member State road hauliers as follows: 11,428,150 in 2000, 11,121,897 in 2001, 10,250,317 in 2002 and 9,321,531 in 2003.