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EC cabotage at risk
Page 6
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• The pilot cabotage scheme, which was agreed by EC Transport Ministers in December, faces a legal challenge by members of the European Parliament's Transport Committee.
They hope to have the cabotage decision overturned by the European Court of Justice.
MEPs claim that the Council of Ministers acted illegally because they did not consult the Parliament before agreeing the scheme. The European Commission's view is that the EC Parliament was consulted about five years ago when an earlier cabotage scheme was tabled, so there was no need for a second consultation.
But Dutch MEP Florus Wijsenbeek says: "The fact that there is a threat of legal action will cast a shadow over the whole scheme. I could imagine that this will be enough for the Germans — who are opposed to cabotage at the moment — to delay implementing it in their country."
In the UK Transport and General Workers Union members will lobby Parliamant on 7 March as part of its antiCabotage campaign. The TGWU is also publishing Charter 1992 which gives its reasons against letting international hauliers compete in UK markets.
0 British hauliers have until 20 April to apply for cabotage permits. Up to 2,214 permits will be available from 1 July, each valid for a month. Operators should write to the International Road Freight Office, Westgate House, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1TW, marking their applications "road cabotage".