Brussels, 24/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 23 July, the Commission issued an official opinion on a number of measures put forward by the Tyrol government (Austria) with a view to improving air quality. The Commission criticises the proposal made by Austria to totally ban the movement of heavy goods vehicles on a section of the A12 motorway in the Inn Valley, taking the view that such a proposal runs counter to the principle of free movement of goods.
The Austrian authorities put a series of measures to the European Commission aimed at reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from cars and trucks travelling in Tyrol. Most of them, such as the speed limit on private cars, the ban on the oldest and most polluting trucks and the extension of the ban on night transport, received the Commission's endorsement. It considers such measures effectively contribute to the fight against climate change and are proportionate to the objective set. In addition to these measures, the authorities of Tyrol plan to totally ban a 12 kilometre section of the A12 motorway (between the town of Kufstein on the German/Austrian border and the village of Zirl, west of Innsbruck). This measure would apply to heavy goods vehicles carrying certain loads (waste, cereals, steel, glass, etc.), whatever their pollution level. In line with the caselaw of the Court of Justice, which ruled on a similar measure in 2005, the Commission considers that such a ban is unacceptable because, on one hand, it could significantly hamper the free movement of goods and, on the other, because it does not seem likely to give rise to a significant improvement in air quality. While welcoming the measures taken by the Austrian authorities to combat climate change, the Commission encourages them to re-examine the possibility to resort to other less restrictive measures and invites them to shift from road to rail transport. The Austrian authorities should also acknowledge the need to foresee transition measures in order to allow transport companies to adjust to the measures envisaged on road traffic by organising broad consultation by all parties concerned beforehand. (aby)