European Council faces prosecution
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OR THE first time in the EEC's history the Council of Ministers may e brought before the European Court of Justice for failing to lischarge its duty under the EEC Treaty, writes our Brussels orrespondent The duty ministers are alleged ) have neglected was to implelent a common transport olicy, says the European Parament transport committee. "For 25 years, transport policy as been limited to trifling meaures which are in no way corniensurate with the vital needs f the common market," a statelent from the committee said. "We are not in favour of a transport policy which creeps ahead at a snail's pace," the statement added.
Despite years of talks no agreement has yet been reached on EEC lorry weights and dimensions, or on badly-needed investments to improve the EEC's transport infrastructure.
Failure to act has, in the corn mittee's opinion, resulted in imbalances between the various sectors of the economy and created obstacles to the free movement of goods within the EEC.
The committee decided to recommend a legal action after the June meeting of transport ministers failed to make tangible progress on the main issues.
The committee, backed by the legal affairs committee, will ask the Parliament at its meeting in Strasbourg this month to vote in favour of bringing an action.
The Parliament's president will be instructed to give transport ministers two months to take action. If this produces no results the case will start before the court in Luxembourg.