ustrian ban talks
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EEC is to open exploraalks with Vienna after L ustrian authorities tied to limit — by quothe amount of heavy inonal road traffic which across their country.
years the Austrians )een asking in vain for Governments to help ct a new North WestEast motorway capable :ing an estimated one foreign lorries per • Austrians pointed out -ansit tonnage rose from 4.1m tonnes in 1971 to 18.5m tonnes in 1983 and is now 20 times greater than the equivalent tonnage which crosses Switzerland.
Britain and France, however, have always sternly opposed the investment of funds for transport infrastructure outside the European community.
But the position has changed since Austria adopted a new policy aimed at switching 9.7m tonnes of freight from the roads to combined rail and road transport by 1989. Trains are already being loaded at points outside Austria — in Munich and Verona — for the journey across the country.
Now it is suggested that Brussels could finance the expansion of these terminals which lie on EEC territory.
In return Austria would be expected to give assurances that no restriction will be imposed on transit traffic.
The EEC Commission has been authorised to hold exploratory consultations with Austria to prepare for formal negotiations.