FIRST NEWS FROM ETMC
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• The EEC's attempts to create a common international transport policy were branded a pipe dream at this week's European Transport Maintenance Council Conference in Hamburg. Speakers slammed the politicians' proposals to date as "chaotic", "uncoordinated" and "a disgrace to a culture and civilisation such as ours".
During the conference's opening address, Martin Marmy of the International Road Transport Union severely criticised Europe's inability to agree. "It would be illusory to imagine that a total harmonisation of road transport 'n Europe will soon come about," he said, and "it is also quite clear that a total liberalisation of international road transport is inconceivable in the near or perhaps even the medium term."
ETMC chairman Frank Lerno, who runs his own haulage company, Transport Coulier in Belgium, summed up frustrations at the conference when he said that the truck weight debate must be settled now. "We are talking about a hell of a lot of investment," he said. "We desperately need standardised weights throughout Europe."
A special workshop session was arranged at this year's ETMC meeting to discuss growing border delays throughout Europe. Most of the operators present said that the red tape involved must be cut as soon as possible.
A spokesman for the Italian Trade Association, Confetra said that the extra cost per kilometre of border delays has pushed up transport costs in Italy by 20-25%, in France by 7%, in Britain by 3.3% and in Germany by 1%.