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Beware of the bureaucrat

4th June 1971, Page 13
4th June 1971
Page 13
Page 13, 4th June 1971 — Beware of the bureaucrat
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

British transport operators can take little comfort from the European Court of Justice ruling on driving hours, reported in CM last week, even though it appears to favour the ninehour driving day sought by the EEC Council (the politicians) rather than the eight-hour day favoured by the Commission (the civil servants). The judgment was given primarily on the grounds that the AETR agreement under which the nine-hour plan was drafted was originally signed before the Common Market became a legal entity. More significant was the court's ruling that the Commission was entitled to negotiate on transport regulations, among other things, with non-EEC countries. And at the I RU meeting in Geneva last week some delegates saw this as conferring almost federal status upon the EEC's central machinery.

Such a situation could be far worse than the bogey of political federation. It could mean the Commission of bureaucrats and technocrats negotiating with non-EEC members on such matters as TIR carnets, customs agreements, technical regulations, and even quota or licensing control, and issuing requirements that would be binding on member countries—

which might soon include Britain with little or no political direction. Although British operators sometimes complain about the activities of administrators, in fact they benefit from a remarkably well developed system of consultation on their behalf between trade associations and Ministry officials. By contrast, American operators, for instance, enjoy little influence over regulatory procedures.

As a non-member of the EEC and a supplicant for admission, Britain is powerless to influence Common Market internal affairs. But that is no reason why industries like transport should not meanwhile use forums such as the International Road Transport Union, which has EEC member associations, to express their apprehension about the growth of a powerful bureaucracy with ever-widening influence.


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