Permits Iritain loses out
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• British hauliers have drawn the short straw in next year's allocation of EEC multilateral permits, and will find increasingly severe competition on the continent as a result.
A total of 9,442 multilateral permits will be issued by the EEC Commission next year, compared with 7,493 this year — but only 760, or 8.05%, will be issued to British hauliers. This represents an overall drop in Britain's share of the permits, which this year stands at 8.94%_ The permits, which allow a vehicle to make an unlimited number of journeys through EEC countries in any one year, are keenly sought by all international hauliers because they save time and paperwork at national borders.
For 1986, Britain has an allocation of 673 permits, so the allocation of 760 permits for 1987 represents an increase of 11.44%. This is the smallest percentage increase for any EEC member state. By contrast, Greece receives a 15.29% increase, Holland a 35.18% increase while Italy gets a 33.41% increase.
Britain has fared badly in the allocations because the Commission based the increases mainly on the use made of its permits last year.
It is unlikely, however, that an official complaint will be made, because any protest at next month's EEC Transport Council meeting could result in delays and no extra licences being agreed to at all.
Russ Peters, chairman of the MA's International Group, says: "If we've got less of an increase than anyone else then that certainly concerns me and I would like to know how the allocations were decided upon."
The Department of Transport says the proposed increase by the EEC Commission has been made under existing legislation, which allows for a 15% annual increase in the number of multilateral permits, together with a re-allocation for those countries which are experiencing difficulties.
"Britain made no complaints about its allocation last year," says a Department of Transport spokesman, "unlike some other countries, including Spain and Holland."
Last June the EEC Council of Ministers decided to allow a 40% annual increase in the number of multilateral permits from 1987. Legislation for that increase, however, has still to be completed by the EEC Commission.
It seems likely that the 40% increase, when it is introduced, will be an across-theboard increase based on the new figures. So Britain is likely to be faced with an 8.05% share of EEC multilateral permits for the foreseeable future. • The Department of Transport hopes for more bilateral quotas with Spain before the end of the year. No more general quota permits are available for this year, but the Department is trying to relieve the situation. A spokesman says that it is still possible to enter Spain without a permit on the Santander ro-ro ferry link, and no permits are required for unaccompanied trailers. The shortage of quotas to Spain has resulted from a 30% increase in lorry journeys to Spain this year, combined with an increase in the number of hauliers who have applied for permits on spec and then failed to use them.