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Europe's borders
FRONTIER crossing problems have exercised the minds of IRU permanent staff and delegates for more than 20 years. At Saville the issue was again raised.
The congress acknowledged the fact that the increase in cross-frontier passenger and freight traffic had and would continue to increase. This increase would of itself cause problems and delays but they must be overcome.
Delays not only caused frustration to passengers but disturbed the drivers working and driving time schedule and led to unsafe working. The congress deplored the totally unnecessary and persistent delays experienced at some borders. Although no country was named the main bottlenecks are known to be at Eastern bloc borders.
Causes given by authorities for the delays appear to have no substance but often result from a self imposed work to rule by customs or frontier officers. This could be no more than closing a border at 5pm for a weekend with one vehicle left on the other side.
The IRU has urged Governments to rid their borders of such obstacles urgently.
Medical checks should be completed at points of departure and certificates should be sufficient clearance. Other border obstacles such as fuel tax differences and transit taxes should be waived or paid periodically by the appropriate trade association.
The IRU wants livestock cargoes to receive priority clearance, transit as opposed to terminal loads should also be cleared expeditiously.
Frontiers should be open at all times to commercial vehicles, there should be harmonisation of hours, facilities and infrastructure and the abolition of all tax levies on a reciprocal basis.
Passenger traffic should not have any tax imposition in Austria, Belgium, Germany, zitaly, Netherlands. Spain and Yugoslavia. The IRU has cal led for the abolition of all national control documents which duplicate the "carnet de bord" and the "feuille de route". The latter is required in Spain and Portugal.
Priority clearance lanes at border posts should be installed to clear psv traffic at peak traffic times.