French fail to honour UK blockade cash agreement
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by David Harris • French authorities have breached the agreement they reached with the Department of Transport after the French truck blockade and returned British claims for compensation, although the applications have been presented just as agreed.
The Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association both say they have complied to the letter with the deal hammered out between the French and the Department of Transport.
Some FTA applications have been returned because they were in English, even though the French said earlier that claims could be made in English.
And the RHA has had some applications returned asking for a break-down of the daily rate claimed by hauliers, although this break-down was not among the information the French originally called for.
An FTA spokesman played down the return of the applications and the DOT says it will help to sort out cases where the French breach the agreement.
Meanwhile, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) is continuing with its more aggressive plan to sue the French Government immediately (CM 6-12 Feb). And the Dutch haulage association has now confirmed it will link with the Irish. The Belgian association is expected to follow and the IRHA's British lawyers are also speaking to the Spanish association.