British hauliers count cost
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after force of French demos • by Melanie Hammond
British international hauliers are once again counting the cost after their trucks were blockaded by French fishermen and French hauliers who cut off oil refineries across France in a bid to win more concessions on fuel tax.
The British government and haulage associations have condemned the action, which is estimated to have cost the industry up to Elm a day and put untold pressure on transport firms working to tight margins.
As CM went to press, the Freight Transport and Road Haulage Associations were advising members to ensure they had enough fuel to reach neighbouring EU states as the protests looked likely to continue and fuel supplies were running out. There were signs tat the protest would spread to Belgium and Spain; the Hauliers and Farmers Alliance is threatening action in the UK (see panel).
Talks between French transport unions and the French transport minister JeanClaude Gassyot broke down on Monday night after he was unable to meet their demands for a 20% reduction in fuel taxes.
But the French government is reported to be working to put together a package of measures, such as concessions on national insurance, to appease the unions. It seems powerless to offer a significant fuel tax reduction specifically for hauliers as this would break EU competition regulations and would require a unanimous agreement across every member state.
French transport unions say fuel prices have risen by 50% in the past 18 months, but they are finding little sympathy from British hauliers who pay tip per litre in duty—double the amount paid by the French.
RHA chief executive Roger King says: 'Our members will be furious if French hauliers are given any more leeway." While he insists the RHA prefers to "exhaust every other avenue" before embarking on demon
strations, he warns that there might be considerable pressure from RHA members to get immediate changes to UK fuel taxes.
"If our members see that the French can achieve this half way through the year, then they won't want us to wait around until the budget in March," he adds.
The RHA still plans to make representations to the European Commission on the grounds that the government is making the road haulage industry uncompetitive. It claims to have identified senior MEPs who are sympathetic to the case.
The FTA has written to the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott condemning the action by the French. However, a spokesman for URTU says the French have the right idea: "There is a lesson to be learnt from the French. They take direct action and they get what they want."
• The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries will address oil production when it meets in Vienna this Sunday.