EC Commission is to propose a big increase in EEC
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permit loca ons for Britain later this month when it meets to draw up ; proposals for next year. proposals for next year.
But he final decision on the uot s will be taken at a eeti g of the EEC Council of rans ort Ministers which is de to meet until De!mb r — a meeting due to ke place last week was can!lied at the last minute.
Th news follows a welcome ir a peech by Transport Parime tary Secretary Kenneth Iarkie at the European Conren e of Transport Ministers B grade from EEC TransDrt Commissioner Richard urk At the conference — Mr lar e's international transDrt Iebut — he recommended iat Europe should take a far tor liberal approach to the roblems of freight transport nd should scrap permit uotas.
And the speech got a welorr e from the German ,overnment who were pleased at a call from Mr Clarke to make more use of piggyback transport arrangements and containerisation.
"This is the future," said Bonn transport ministry permanent secretary Heinz Ruhnan.
And the Germans believe that the development of intermodal transport like this could lead to the long sought compromise on transport between Britain and Germany.
The Bonn reaction is seen as encouraging, but the Germans pursue a transport policy against all the European trends and give their railways priority.
Figures issued by the EEC Commission in Brussels last month show that in the original Six members of the EEC in the last 11 years freight traffic by road almost quadrupled while rail freight in creased only slightly.
In his speech to the European Conference of Transport Ministers Mr Clarke has told the 19 countries present that they should cooperate to bring an end to all restrictions on international freight and the way to bring this about would be to scrap all permit quotas.
His speech fell into line with the policy pursued by Mr Burke in the EEC since he was appointed three years ago and he obviously welcomed an ally after years of having the same idea opposed by the French, Italians and Germans.