EEC Plans ' Track Costs' Inquiry From a Special Correspondent THE
Page 35
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
EEC Council has just adopted a 1 decision on the organization of an inquiry into infrastructures for transport by rail, road and inland waterway in the six Community countries. By this decision the member States will have to carry out a complete survey of the expenditure they incur during 1966 on means of communication, however such expenditure is financed.
There will have to be consideration and separate breakdowns of both expenditure relating to the construction of new links and the extension or. renewal of existing bilks, and expenditure relating to maintenance, operation and management. Facts and figures will have to be submitted to the European Commission by the national administrations before the end of 1967.
In addition to the general survey of expenditure, the member States will have lo carry out special studies on certain lines, and the European Commission will have to make a pilot study before June 30, 1966, by way of preparation for the national surveys. • The ultimate aim of these studies is to enable the Community to finalize a common method of determining infrastructure costs and charging these costs .O users. The six countries have not yet selected the method to be adopted for determining and charging costs, and the 1966 surveys are not intended to prejudge this selection. -There are at least four different systems (economic tolls, budgetary balancing. development cost, total cost) and each has its supporters.