30 November-1 December Transport Council

Date: 03/12/1998

EU transport ministers approved an agreement with Switzerland governing Alpine truck traffic, taking a major step towards the completion of a wide-ranging accord. Under the compromise, reached after a night of talks, Switzerland agreed to lift its ban on EU transit trucks weighing more than 28 tonnes by 2005 and the Union agreed that Bern could levy tolls based on infrastructure damage caused by trucks. Switzerland also agreed to increase the quota of 40-tonne trucks travelling through the Alps in stages between 2001 and 2005, and not to impose its maximum levy of 200 ecu on trucks. The deal still requires the approval of EU foreign ministers, who are expected to endorse it at a meeting next week. “It was now or never,” said Alexis Lautenberg, Switzerland's ambassador to the EU, after the meeting.

AGREEMENT on the Swiss deal hinged on a separate agreement on the lorry charges imposed under the 'Eurovignette' system operated by Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg which was also struck this week. The deal allows for differential charging based on environmental criteria and weight. Under the accord, annual charges will range from 750 to 1,550 ecu.

AUSTRIAN Transport Minister Caspar Einem, who chaired the meeting, invited EU ministers to examine the future competitive situation of rail transport, which has been steadily losing market share to roads. He also asked ministers to consider whether licenses and safety certificates for rail operators should be given out by an independent body.

SPAIN blocked moves by the EU to introduce new legislation which would force airlines to compensate passengers who are unable to board an airplane as a result of overbooking. Madrid argued that British colony Gibraltar should be exempt from the new rule, claiming that the UK had no right to apply EU law on the disputed territory. Austria's Einem expressed disappointment that ministers were unable to resolve the dispute. A British official said that it would now be up to Spain to find a solution.

TRANSPORT ministers vowed to work on ways to incorporate environmental damage into road costs, following a suggestion made by Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock in a White Paper this summer. Kinnock has called for the introduction of uniform road charges across the Union based on the real cost of transport, arguing that basing levies on the distance travelled would help reduce pollution and congestion.