Gayssot vows to drive through deal to settle argument over truckers’ hours

Date: 21/09/00

By Simon Coss

FRENCH Transport Minister Jean-Claude Gayssot is determined to bite the bullet and settle a long-running row over EU rules on truckers' working hours before the end of his country's EU presidency.

Brokering a deal will not be easy, as the Portuguese government learned during its six-month stint at the EU's helm. But Gayssot is adamant that he can settle the issue by the end of December. A statement issued by his ministry on its aims for the presidency said Paris hoped to "obtain tangible results during the second half of 2000, notably on the question of working, driving and rest time".

Gayssot is certainly more qualified than most to deal with the demands of militant truckers. His home country is regularly paralysed by lorry drivers angry at some EU or government measure or other, as happened earlier this month when French truckers blockaded fuel depots across the country protesting at the high price of diesel, sparking similar protests across the Union. The blockade was lifted only after Gayssot offered significant cuts in diesel taxes following lengthy negotiations with trucking companies.

The dispute over truckers' working hours is likely to give the French transport minister more sleepless nights between now and the end of the year, as the argument continues between governments over whether the Union's working time directive - which lays down a maximum 48-hour week - should apply to self-employed truck drivers.

Countries with large numbers of owner-drivers say self-employed truckers should have their own rules. But others, including France, insist all drivers should work the same hours.

The issue will be discussed at a meeting of EU transport ministers next month, but Union officials remain tight-lipped on the chances of a deal. "We have received strict instructions not to talk to journalists about this," said one official at the Council of Ministers Secretariat.

French officials also refused to be drawn on the possibility of a compromise. "There are very many complex issues linked to this subject. Not just concerning working hours but also concerning the definition of working-time itself," said one, referring to the fact that EU governments have yet to agree on whether time spent loading and unloading lorries should count as working time.

But the fact that the subject is set to be discussed by ministers at all shows some progress has been made. The Portuguese were supposed to chair ministerial talks on the issue during their presidency but abandoned the idea because governments remained so deeply divided.

Article forms part of a survey on transport. French Transport Minister, Jean-Claude Gayssot, is determined to settle a long-running row over EU rules on truckers' working hours before the end of his country's EU presidency.