Brussels, 10/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is expected to decide on Wednesday to launch investigations into the derogations to oil duty regulations granted to hauliers in France, Italy and the Netherlands at the time of the recent oil price hikes. The investigations have been requested by the European Transport Commissioner, Loyola de Palacio, given the discriminatory nature of the derogations, which only apply to fuel used by road hauliers.
The decision has been in the air for the last few weeks, but might be delayed for longer by the Commissioners originating from the countries in question, namely Frits Bolkestein, Pascal Lamy, Michel Barnier and the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi.
In February 2001, the ECOFIN Council agreed to extend the derogations to European mineral oil duty legislation until 2003, with a "substantial cut" in the derogations in 2002 (see EUROPE of 12/13 February, p. 9). The European Commission points out, however that the ECOFIN decision did not have any bearing on the state aid aspects of the temporary derogations granted by France, Italy and the Netherlands.