EC taxes and tolls agreed
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• In an EC Transport Council described by Transport Secretary John MacGregor this week as "positive and constructive', transport ministers agreed in principle a package on a minimum level of vehicle taxation, motorway user charges for hauliers operating trucks over 12 tonnes throughout Europe and a permanent cabotage regime.
Europe's transport ministers are optimistic that a political agreement can be finalised at the next EC Transport Council in Brussels on 7-8 December.
A permanent cabotage regime is likely to follow an agreement on taxation, in which case a regulation increasing the cabotage quota over the next three years, leading to full liberalisation in 1996, would be adopted.
Other measures agreed by the ministers but which await formal adoption, include an extension to EC transport infrastructure projects which can now run until the end of 1994, and a threeyear extension to investment in combined transport infrastructure which now covers road or rail journeys and maritime transport.
The number of member states' ECO points which will be needed tq travel through Austria was agreed.
Britain's share is 0.66% while the lion's share goes to Italy and Germany which were allocated 40 and 38%.