CONINIENT
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A DIFFERENT BALL GAME
nd now, another in the popular CM series of "Whatever happened to rhetorical questions?" Viz: how is it that the European Commission is threatening legal action against the organisers of the World Cup for not providing enough tickets to foreign Football fans but can't, or won't, take legal action against the French authorities who are still refusing to cough up the thousands of pounds they owe to European road hauliers as a result of recent lorry drivers' strikes? So much for the EC's sense of priority. Right now only a handful of British operators have received anything like full compensation, despite all the high-profile hoo-ha conducted by the likes of the Road Haulage Association. "00 est l'argent?" It's still stuck in the French bank, franc (sic). Many operators will have simply given up waiting. They shouldn't. The FTA reports a positive response to those claims re-submitted in line with the Department of Transport's advice in January, which included the use of specimen letters drafted by the French and giving turnover figures. And it says the Denby case proves there's reason for some hope. But "hope" won't stretch to interest on outstanding payments. At the heart of the issue is the fact that British hauliers blockaded on French roads shouldn't have to leap through hoops of fire to get what they're owed. Here's another rhetorical question: when was the last time a French operator was held up for a week on British roads by striking UK drivers? Last week there was yet another blockade at Calais—this time by port staff protesting against the proposed scrapping of the duty-free system. What next? A blockade to complain about soggy baguettes? Cold café au Fait? Frankly, it doesn't say much for the European Commission when it puts football before freight. Is that a fact Jacques?