Germans face defeat
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• Plans to introduce cabotage by 1 January next year are being given top priority by the Portuguese, who hold the EC presidency for the next six months.
Opposition to the European Commission cabotage proposals from the Germans, who want tax harmonisation first, is likely to be defeated, say officials. We have agreement on harmonisation of diesel excise duties and this represents two thirds of road costs," says one official.
The Commission wants almost total freedom for road hauliers to operate throughout the 12 EC states from 1 January 1993.
Firms must respect the national rules of the countries in which they are trading, for example on tariffs, VAT and dangerous loads.
A safeguard clause allows governments to limit cabotage to a fixed percentage of their national market, but this will disappear in 1995.
Another EC cabotage proposal will give more freedom to coach operators to offer their services wherever they wish. From the beginning of next year longdistance operators will be allowed to run local excursions at their distination: at the moment they can only carry passengers who booked on their coach at the original journey.