Spanish/EEC agreement
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IN ADVANCE of Spain joining the EEC, the transport ministers of the Community have signed an agreement with the Madrid government aimed at the immediate liberalisation of combined road/rail freight transport.
The agreement frees combined haulage operations from all quotas and authorisation restrictions when the operation is carried out on the basis of freight being hauled by road to the nearest suitable rail loading point and then delivered by road from the nearest suitable rail unloading point.
The agreement covers lorries, trailers, semi-trailers, swap bodies and containers of 20ft or more.
The liberalisation measures on trailers and semi-trailers will apply "once the Spanish railways have the facilities and rolling stock required to carry them on the Spanish railway network — but not later than July 1, 1985".
But the agreement may prove to be short-lived. It will come into effect as soon as both sides have ratified the agreement, but it will be automatically superseded when Spain formally joins the EEC.