IRA NSPOR T PROBLEMS IN THE COMMON MARKET
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k SPECIAL meeting of the Ministers of Transport of the six-country ammon Market area was held in *insets this week. At this conference e basic aims of a joint transport policy the Little Six area were discussed, as all as the means of realizing such a )licy and such specific problems as that ! national transport discrimination.
Meanwhile, it has been announced that e Common Market Commission itself is 'gaged in drawing up a memorandum the same subject, to be laid before the ur op ean Parliament — the political ;sembly of tile Common Market bloc— Id for discussion by the area's Council Ministers and working groups by next These moves, it is hoped, will work twards ending the transport stalemate hich has existed within the Little Six nce it inception. Then, at the signing I the Treaty of Rome, no decision could e reached about future transport co-ordiation within the new bloc except that it as necessary. Rather than bold up the irmation of the Common Market until us knotty problem was solved, the signairy countries agreed to a vague clause ) the effect that..the aims of the pact ere to be carried out within the frameork of a joint transport policy. Since len a number of meetings have been held nd memoranda issued—the last by the ommission to its transport committee us summer --and an attempt has been lade to fill in the details for such a proramme. But up to now so little has been chieved in this direction that the very eveloprnent of the trade agreement as a /hole is being held tip.
Lack of Backing .As yet, the only real move made in the nter-member co-ordination of the mares transport industry has been the foroidding of discrimination in rates for aternational goods transport, a rule iassed by the Ministerial Council earlier his year and which came into force in ieptember. Even this is a regulation withiut—at present at any rate—the necessary meking in the form of controllability. Until July 1, 1961. no transportation locuments will be called for on an area iasis, while there seems no sign at all of t future agreement of member countries in obligatory publication of rates and :onditions of carriage. Holland in paricular objects to such an obligation, which is already enforced in West Liermany. on the grounds that it is ncompatible with Dutch law and a nndrance to the operation of road trans'art on a businesslike basis.
Since the Common Market Commis;ion has advisory powers only, and all recommendations must be passed unanimously by the six country Ministerial Council, this is generally regarded as an impasse. So pessimistic is even the Commission on this subject that it has announced a regulation of the matter " in the framework of a common transport policy" if no decision is reached by July 1, 1963. The executive has set January 1, 1964, as the date after which publication must begin. Exactly what measures it will take if national agreement is not forthcoming is not clear from its vague statement of intention.
Troublesome Power
The difficulty lies in the inability of the Commission to make decisions and the democratic, but troublesome, power of one member State to turn down an otherwise acceptable suggestion. Thus, just as West Germany previously held up decisions on road vehicle maximum dimensions by demanding limits too low for other Inner Six members, it now seems certain that Holland and Italy will refuse to accept length maxima which they consider not high enough. 'These two countries were, with Switzerland, the only nations to vote against a recommendation for a 164;-metre length limit passed on a majority basis at The Hague meeting in October of the Conference of European Ministers of Transport. This length limit had been recommended earlier in the year by two other Inner Six countries, France and West Germany, and what started as a Common Market family quarrel looks like ending as one.
This case is typical as an example of the uncompromising attitude towards transport matters of the Common Market members. First Germany held out for a lower length maximum, backed only by France quite willing to compromise for a higher-than-suggested length of 17 metres. But Germany did hold out and no compromise upwards was made. Now the 164-metre maximum is the European favourite and Holland has made it clear that it does not intend to agree to any length shorter than 17 metres. At the same time the Dutch Government is attacking at top level the newly introduced German length maximum—also 161 metres—on the grounds that this is a NO DISCRIMINATION QHEFFIELD TRANSPORT COIVIM1T$--/ TEE have rejected a request of the TGWU for a limit to the number of coloured people employed by the city transport department. The committee have replied that the city counciTs policy is that there shall be no racial discrimination and they will not therefore impose any limit of this kind. 290 of the 2.500 employees of the department are coloured. contravention of the Geneva Agreement of 1949. The whole question has now been brought before the Ministerial Council on the initiative of the Dutch European Parliament member van Dijk, who recently put the matter before the Common Market Commission.
The first stage of a common transport policy, including regulations which should have been made by the end of 1959, it is now hoped will emerge next year. But all is not clear. Apart from the vexed question of rate-and-condition publication, there are other problems awaiting the sitpra-national and ineffectual executive. The Commission has urged that road vehicle taxes should be standardized within the area. This will meet with difficulties and a good deal of national indignation arising from the present variance both in taxes and in the uses to which they are put.
The question of expiry dates for 'chides of obsolescent dimensions is raising a lot of internal bad feeling within the German road transport industry, Germany's hauliers feeling that they could be set at a disadvantage against foreign operators by the imposition of too early a date for the absolute imposition of the new national dimensions, which are similar to those recommended at the October C.E.M.T, meeting. Also, such technical questions as load capacityengine capacity ratio for vehicle-plustrailer units, and the capacity ratio between vehicle and trailer of such units, is already causing bitter arguments between the now traditional transport enemies, Holland and Germany.
National Difficulties Added to this are the manifold difficulties attached to the alteration of transport systems in individual countries —in Belgium. for example, where goodsvehicle licensing is held on so tight a rein that even now only some 8 per cent. of all goods travel by road.
Al! in all, there are many problems still facing the Common Market in the transport field. Whether they can be overcome is a matter for the persuasive or bullying power of the executive, or the willingness of member governments to think internationally and to realize that the fate of the trade pactthey have agreed depends to a considerable extent on thc future of a co-ordinated road transport system.
lid. PER DEPARTURE AT HYDE
THE Minister of Transport this week announced his decision on an inquiry concerning charges to be made for the use of a bus station in Hyde.
He pointed out that the station represented a considerable amenity value to the borough. A charge of 1-41. per bus departure would be fixed, said the Minister. The Minister also suggested that there should be a review, after not less than two years, of the charges.