MEPs: No to 40%
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• European MPs have voted to water down EEC Commission proposals to grant an annual 40% increase in multilateral permits, and have also refused to accept any commitment to meet the 1992 deadline for the final phase of harmonisation and liberalisation of the Community's road haulage industry.
Last week the European Parliament in Strasbourg echoed the view of the West Germans, who want a more cautious approach to permit allocations and liberalisation. They want any changes linked to harmonisation of fiscal conditions — in particular on excise duty and fuel tax.
MEPs have accepted a report on behalf of their transport committee by Spanish socialist MEP Sapena Granell, rejecting the idea of granting the permit increases automatirally. The report states that the annual increases — originally set at 40% per year by the Commission — must continue to be laid down by European Transport Ministers "taking into account the requirements of trade and traffic, and so as to ensure they parallel liberalisation and harmonisation".
The MEPs have also refused to accept any commitment to full harmonisation and liberalisation by the target date of 1992, and want EEC Transport Ministers to review the timetable by 31 October 1991, "taking into account the situation of the various means of transport and progress made in the common transport policy."
Last week EEC Transport Commissioner Stanley ClintonDavies was clearly disappointed by the European Parliament's restrictive approach. He has defended his proposal for automatic 40% permit increases without the annual wrangles in Brussels by EEC Transport Ministers.
Under the EEC legal procedure, Clinton-Davies will not be forced to modify his plan, but it is clear that EEC Transport Ministers are unlikely to accept the proposals when they are raised in December.