Brussels, 12/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - In first reading under codecision on Tuesday the European Parliament debated the report by Italian Luciano Caveri (ELDR), President of the Transport Committee, on the ecopoints system for heavy goods vehicles travelling through Austria in 2004. The political agreement of 31 December 2002 to temporarily extend the system with a reduced number of ecopoints from the end of 2003 to the end of 2006 (see Europe of 3 January, p.3) was criticised in January by the European Parliament Transport Committee, which came out by a wide majority against the extension of the system, suggesting compromise amendments (see Europe of 29 January, p.15). The debate on Tuesday displayed, as expected, a split between the Austrian MEPs (of all parties) opposing the Caveri report and all the other MEPs who support it, highlighting the discriminatory nature of the ecopoints system. All MEPs, however, recognised that a proposal was urgently needed concerning transport infrastructure charges.
Noting that this is a European problem requiring an overall transport policy, Luciano Caveri felt that a balanced solution had been found "taking account of the sensitive areas". On behalf of the EPP-ED, Dutch MEP Karla Peys said the proposed system well balanced free circulation and environmental protection, but that no discriminatory system could exist beyond 2006. Hailing the report, the PES (in the voice of Italian Giovanni Fava) admitted feeling "very uneasy" with the "formalistic behaviour of the Council, which has proposed a solution opposed by two of the main countries concerned - Austria and Italy". Fava said they were continuing with a system that runs counter to the treaties.
On behalf of the Liberals, Dutch MEP Herman Vermeer said the Caveri report made it possible to allow the "detestable" extension of the ecopoints system within reasonable limits, but warned that the problem of the Alps had to be tackled as a whole. Georg Jarzembowski (CDU) told Austrian MEPs to behave as Europeans rather than defending their national interests, saying that they levied extremely high tolls but didn't even use them to finance the Brenner. The Austrian MEPs speaking the debate came out against the report. On behalf of the Greens/EFA, Raina Echerer said that if there had been a proposal on charges one wouldn't be in this situation today.
Speaking on behalf of the unaligned Daniela Raschhofer (FPÖ) said the Caveri report deprived the ecopoint system of any sense, while Reinhard Rack (EPP-ED) said that while awaiting a proposal on charging for infrastructure, they had to have this temporary system. Johannes Swoboda (PES) rejected the report outright for failing to take enough account of Austria, in which he was supported by his colleagues Hans Kronberger (FPÖ) who asserted the report ran counter to the Kyoto Protocol measures, and Marialiese Flemming (EPP-ED).
Pointing out that a solution had to be found very rapidly since the current system runs out on 31 December 2003, Loyola de Palacio, the Transport Commissioner, said that fourteen Member States agreed to make an exception to keep Austria happy. The Commissioner listed the amendments the Council would not agree to (notably the fact the system only applied to the Austrian Alps, the lorry quotas and the reintroduction of the 108% clause), and those the Commission could accept, such as the amendments stressing the transitional nature of the scheme and the need for a sustainable transport policy for the Alps as a whole.
Parliament's vote challenges Council agreement of 31 December
Adopting the Caveri report by 430 to 79 with 17 abstentions, the European Parliament confirmed the Transport Committee vote (see Europe of 29 January, p.15) adopting the four Committee's compromise amendments aiming to find non-discriminatory solutions reconciling freedom of circulation and environmental protection; should the draft directive on chairing for infrastructure not have come into force by the end of 2006, then the amendments foresee limits on the circulation of the most polluting lorries in the most sensitive areas, based on the ecopoint quotas for 2002; to set up a sustainable transport policy for the entire Alps region, particularly for the sensitive areas; and setting up systems for checking real NOX (nitrogen oxide) emissions. The EP also approved an amendment calling for a proportionate increase in the number of ecopoints when new Member States join the EU. The EP rejected a PES amendment for tighter lorry quotas and the Greens/EFA amendment calling for the 108% clause to be reinstated (if the total number of journeys in one year is 108% or more of the total in the reference year - 1991 - then fewer ecopoints are adopted the following year).