Quotas increased
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FURTHER increases in the multilateral quotas for international haulage were agreed by the 19-member European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) meeting in Paris last month when it also decided to launch an ECMT study on the harmonisation of vehicle weights and dimensions.
The quotas will rise by five per cent on January 1, and by five per cent from January 1, 1986, following the 20 per cent increase agreed at the ECMT ministers' meeting in May.
At the Paris meeting restrictions on permit use imposed by West Germany, Italy and Spain were lifted considerably, broadening the scope of the application of the previous decision.
A paper to the ministers said that while the multilateral quota was "modest" at present, it could develop into an important instrument of European transport policy.
This was linked to the resolution of fundamental problems in European transport including the harmonisation of weights and dimensions, the link between the cost and use of infrastructure, and the harmonisation of taxes, charges and tolls.
But small multilateral quota increases were possible meanwhile.
Under the new agreement the UK will have 38 multilateral quotas available from January 1, out of a total of 723 in ECMT. Austria continues to insist that a maximum of 16 per country can be used on its territory, and Turkey limits the figure to 29.