Luxembourg, 02/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - In proceeding that were completely unusual, the President of the European Court of Justice, Gil Rodriguez Iglesias, informed Austria for the second time on 2 October that it would have to prevent the Minister President of the Tyrol region from blocking the A 12 motorway in the Inn Valley. A regulation taken in this region aimed to ban, from 1 August 2003, heavy duty lorry traffic on 40 km of road (see EUROPE 31 July for first decree). This order is valid till 30 April 2004.
Taking into account of the problems of air quality, the European Commission and Austria are expected to enter consultations to present to the Court for a "possible compromise" on this case, explained the President of the Court. If they do not reach a compromise they will have to submit to the Court, information on air quality in the Inn Valley, by 6 February 2004, as well as information on the impact of the night traffic ban during 2003 and perspectives on rail transport and other alternative roads. On the basis on this new information, Gil Rodriguez Iglesias will give a third and definitive reference order which will precede the basic decision which will not be given for several months.