# C_2004241EN.01001901.xml

| 28.9.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 241/19 |
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28.9.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 241/19

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of common rules for certain types of carriage of goods by road (codified version)’

(COM(2004) 47 final – 2004/0017 (COD))

(2004/C 241/05)

On 11 February 2004 the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under Article 71 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of common rules for certain types of carriage of goods by road (codified version)’.

The Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 10 May 2004. The rapporteur was Mr Simons.

At its 409th plenary session (meeting of 2 June 2004) the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 173 votes to one with 16 abstentions:

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| 1. | The purpose of the proposal is to codify the First Council Directive of 23 July 1962 on the establishment of common rules for certain types of carriage of goods by road (1). |
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1.

The purpose of the proposal is to codify the First Council Directive of 23 July 1962 on the establishment of common rules for certain types of carriage of goods by road (1).

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| 2. | Simplifying and clarifying Community law is a matter of great importance in the context of a people's Europe. The European Parliament, Council and Commission have therefore underlined the need to codify legislative acts that have been frequently amended, and agreed by interinstitutional agreement of 20 December 1994 that an accelerated procedure may be used. No substantive changes may be made to acts when they are codified. |
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2.

Simplifying and clarifying Community law is a matter of great importance in the context of a people's Europe. The European Parliament, Council and Commission have therefore underlined the need to codify legislative acts that have been frequently amended, and agreed by interinstitutional agreement of 20 December 1994 that an accelerated procedure may be used. No substantive changes may be made to acts when they are codified.

| 3. | The Commission proposal complies with this requirement, and the EESC therefore has no objections to raise, although it notes that codification is being undertaken at the very last moment. All the same, it manages to satisfy the criteria set, even though the most recent amendment dates back to 1992. |
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3.

The Commission proposal complies with this requirement, and the EESC therefore has no objections to raise, although it notes that codification is being undertaken at the very last moment. All the same, it manages to satisfy the criteria set, even though the most recent amendment dates back to 1992.

Brussels, 2 June 2004.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Roger BRIESCH

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(1)  OJ 70 of 6.8.1962, p. 2005. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No. 881/92 (OJ L 95 of 9.4.1992, p. 1) – EESC opinion: OJ C 40 of 17.2.1992, p. 15.

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