Brussels, 23/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament adopted the report by Boguslaw Liberadski (PES, Poland) concerning the draft directive on the inland transport of dangerous goods in the second reading on Thursday 19 June. With the Council having adopted the amendments demanded by MEPs in the first reading, the Parliament approved the draft without amendments. The transport of dangerous goods by inland waterways will therefore be integrated into Community law.
In December 2006 the Commission presented a draft directive on the inland transport of dangerous goods. This text updates four directives and four decisions concerning the transportation of dangerous goods and merges them into a single legislative act. Moreover, it extends the scope of the provisions in question to the transportation of dangerous goods via inland waterways which, up to now, were not covered by Community legislation. The proposal also aims to integrate international regulations concerning the transport of dangerous goods into Community law and extend their application to national transport. Its aim is to ensure a high level of safety while at the same time improving intermodality in the transportation of dangerous goods sector.
In the first reading MEPs suggested that member states which do not have a railway network should be exempted from the obligation to transpose and implement the directive's provisions concerning railways. The EP also introduced a transition period of up to 2 years for the application of the directive's provisions on inland waterways, in order to enable national provisions to be adapted, legal frameworks to be put in place and staff to be trained. Furthermore, MEPs were in favour of member states being allowed to set specific safety measures for the national or international transportation of dangerous goods on their territory where this is carried out with vehicles, wagons or boats not covered by the directive.
At the vote in the plenary session on Thursday the Parliament adopted the report without amendment, as the Council has adopted all of the amendments proposed in the first reading. The two amendments added by the Council since then were also approved. The first of these is a new paragraph authorising the member states to regulate or ban the transportation of dangerous goods on their territory for reasons other than simply the safety of the transport. Secondly the Council has indicated that the Commission should provide financial support to the member states for the translation of the European agreements and regulations in this sector. (O.L./transl.fl)