Brussels, 28/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - As foreseen, The Transport Council confirmed on Friday the political agreement reached on 31 December 2002 during an extraordinary Transport Council on the proposal of regulation concerning the ecopoints system that regulates the transit of heavy vehicles through Austria. Austria, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands marked for the second time their opposition to this agreement. Furthermore, the Council did not take into account amendments adopted at first reading by the European Parliament. Despite a second reading, Parliament/Council conciliation seems inevitable (see EUROPE of 13 February, p.13).
During the Council, Austria did not wish to repeat what "everyone knows". The Netherlands explained that the proposal "restricts the free movement of goods and imposes disproportionate obstacles". For Belgium, the proposal does not sufficiently encourage the introduction of less polluting lorries. "We do not know what the European Parliament's opinion is, and we accept a compromise rejected by the delegations concerned", Italy regretted, describing this as a true example of institutional short-sightedness. Italy will, moreover, join a declaration to the Council's minutes indicating that the proposal is not satisfactory and that it imposes new administrative barriers across the Alps. Loyola de Palacio, Transport Commissioner, for her part, warned ministers saying: "if we want a result, we shall have to amend our text, as the parliament will not adopt it". The agreement of 31 December provides for provisional extension of the ecopoint system (that must finish end 2003) until end 2004, with a reduced number of ecopoints. Also, it provides for the possibility of extending the system in 2005 and 2006, if the proposal on infrastructure tariffs (that the Commission has not yet presented) is not adopted (see EUROPE of 3 January, p.3).