NoL41/14 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 17.2.76
COMMISSION DECISION
of22December 1975
authorizingIrelandtotakeprotectivemeasuresinrespectofCouncilRegulation
(EEC)No543/69of25March1969ontheharmonization ofcertainsociallegisla­
tionrelatingtoroadtransport
(OnlytheEnglishtextisauthentic)
(76/209/EEC)
THECOMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheActconcerningtheconditionsof
accessionandtheadjustmentstotheTreaties,andin
particularArticle135thereof,
Whereas,byvirtueofArticle133oftheActofAcces­
sionandparagraph 1ofTableIIIofAnnexVIItothe
Act,theapplicationofCouncilRegulation(EEC)No
543/69of25March1969ontheharmonization of
certainsociallegislationrelatingtonationaltransport
operationsinthenewMemberStatesispostponed
until1January1976;
WhereastheGovernmentofIrelandhasrequestedby
letterdated18December1975authorization under
Article135oftheActofAccessionforthetakingof
protectivemeasuresintheroadtransportsector,and
inparticularforthesuspensionuntil31December
1977oftheapplicationofRegulation (EEC)No
543/69tonationaltraffic;
WhereastheroadtransportindustryinIrelandis
madeuplargelyofverysmallenterprises,manyof
themowner-drivers ;
Whereas,accordingtoinformationsuppliedbythe
Government ofIreland,thefreightindustryis
suffering,undertheeffectsofthecurrentrecession,
severeeconomicdifficulties ;
WhereasgeographicalconditionsinIrelandaresuch
thattheaveragelengthofjourneysbetweenmajor
centresofpopulationcoupledwiththestandardsof
Irishroadsmeansthattypicalreturnjourneyson
whichtheIrishindustryisbased,canonlybeeffected
withdailydrivingtimessomewhatinexcessofthose
setoutinRegulation(EEC)No543/69;whereasenfor­
cementofthenewpermittedhoursofdrivingand
distanceswoulddisruptwellestablishedschedulesand
workingrostersandwouldleadtoseriousopposition
fromemployeesonaccountofadditionaland
unwantedabsencesfromhomeorbase;
WhereastheapplicationofRegulation (EEC)No
543/69wouldaddtotheseriousandpersistentdiffi­
cultiesintheroadtransportindustry;whereasIreland
estimatesthattheapplicationoftheRegulationwill
causeariseincostsofupto30%;whereasinthepresentbadeconomicsituationtheburdenofsuch
additionalcostsontheroadtransportindustryin
Irelandisnowrelativelylargerthanwasthecasein
thesixoriginalMemberStateswhenRegulation(EEC)
No543/69enteredintoforceundermorefavourable
conditions ;
Whereas,underthepresenteconomicconditions,
reductionindrivingtimeattendantonRegulation
(EEC)No543/69wouldnotleadtoanincreaseinthe
numberofdriversandvehiclesbecauseofreduced
productivity ,lowercapitalutilizationandafurther
reductioninthevolumeoftrafficandthecurtailment
ofservices;
WhereasthetransportindustryinIrelandisalready
characterizedbyhighandincreasingunemployment
—60%riseinthecaseofdriversoverthepastyear;
whereasthissituationwillbeaggravatedbytheabove­
mentionedcurtailmentinservices;
Whereasitappearsunlikelythatemployeesinthe
industrywouldbewillingtoacceptareductionin
earningsproportionate totheenforcedreductionin
drivingtimesconsequentonapplicationofRegulation
(EEC)No543/69;
Whereasfurthertimeisrequiredtoallowemployers
andemployeestoadjusttheirtermsandconditionsof
employmenttothesituationwhichapplicationofthe
Regulationwouldbringabout;
Whereasinthepresentsituationofreducedtraffic
particularproblemsofincomereductionwillbefaced
byowner-drivers ;
Whereasafurtherperiodoftimeistobeputatthe
disposaloftheIrishGovernmentinordertoenable
thembyeducationandpersuasionofbothsidesofthe
industrytoachievegradualacceptanceofthe
measures ;
WhereasapplicationoftheRegulationwouldhave
particularlyseriousconsequences inlessdeveloped
partsofthecountry,whereevennowservicesarevery
limitedandconstitutetoacertaindegreealreadyva
socialservice;
WhereasRegulation(EEC)No1463/70isduetobe
appliedonlytonewlyregisteredvehiclesfrom1

17.2.76 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL41/15
nationallegislation,butmayincludemeasureswhich
progressivelyimplementtherulescontainedinRegu­
lation(EEC)No543/69.
Article2
1.IrelandshallnotifytheCommissionimmedi­
atelyofthemeasurestakeninapplicationof
Article1.
2.IrelandshallinformtheCommission ofthedeve­
lopmentofthesituationinthesectorconcernedand
shallforwardtotheCommissionbefore1April1976
astatementofthemeasureswhicharebeingtakento
implementRegulation(EEC)No543/69.
Article3
1.TheCommission shallreviewthisDecisionnot
laterthan30April1976.
2.Withoutprejudicetothereviewprovidedforin
theprecedingparagraph,theCommission may
modifyorrevokethepresentDecisionifitdetermines
thattheconditionswhichhaveledtoitsadoption
havechangedorthatitseffectsprovetobemore
extensivethanitspurposerequires.
Article4
ThisDecisionisaddressedtoIreland.January1976;whereasthiswillrepresentonlya
minoradditionalcosttotheindustry;whereasthe
gradualintroductioninthemannerplannedrepre­
sentsanimportantstepineducationastothebenefits
ofthetachographandinachievinguseracceptability ;
whereasthetachographintroducedbyRegulation
(EEC)No1463/70isanimportantadvancein
check-upandcontrolonsocialmattersinroadtrans­
port;
WhereasthesedifficultiesfacedbytheIrishroadtrans­
portindustryareofsuchanatureastorenderinsuffi­
cienttheperiodbetweenaccessionandapplicationof
Regulation(EEC)No543/69providedforintheAct
ofAccession;whereasafurtherperiodofsixmonths
willgiveIrelandtheopportunitytocontinuetorectify
thesituationandadjustthesectorconcernedtothe
economyofthecommonmarket;whereasaderoga­
tionfromArticles6to12,14and15issufficientto
achievetheobjectivesofArticle135oftheActof
Accession;
Whereasanauthorizationforatemporaryderogation
shouldnotleadtoanyloweringoftheexistingsocial
conditionsenjoyedbyroadtransportworkers;
WhereasIrelandshouldreportonthedevelopmentof
thesituationinthesectorconcernedinorderto
enabletheCommission toreviewitsDecision,
HASADOPTEDTHISDECISION :
Article1
1.Irelandisauthorizedtotakenationalmeasures
withrespecttonationaltransportoperationsfora
perioduntil30June1976derogatingfromArticles6
to12,14and15ofCouncilRegulation(EEC)No
543/69of25March1969ontheharmonization of
certainsociallegislationrelatingtoroadtransport.
2.Thesenationalmeasuresshallbeatleastas
favourabletotransportworkersastheexistingDoneatBrussels,22December1975.
FortheCommission
ThePresident
Francois-Xavier ORTOLI