12. 12. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 318/17 
ommendation made by the Council on 19 December 
1984 to the national railway companies in the Member 
States calling for greater cooperation in international 
passenger and freight transport (*) and to its own 
Opinions on this subject (2). 
As regards the possible need for financial support, 
consideration should be given to the possibility of pro­
viding EC funding [e.g. money from the European 
Regional Development Fund (ERDF)] to assist trans­
frontier transport. 
(J) See OJ No L 333, 21. 12. 1984, p. 63. 
(2) Cf. especially the Opinion on the draft Council Recommen­
dation on railway tariffs for international transport by con­
tainer and piggy-back techniques (OJ No C 23, 30. 1. 1984, 
p. 3). 
Done at Brussels, 28 September 1988. 
1. The Committee welcomes the fact that the Com­
mission has been successful in bringing about the initial­
ling of an agreement with the majority of the relevant 
third countries which will extend the Community com­
bined goods transport regime to traffic between the 
Community and these countries. This agreement, which r 3.2. Specific comments 
r 
1 3.2.1. In order to be more specific the second indent 
i of the first paragraph of Article 1 should be amended 
to read as follows: 
'... or to the costs of operating the combined trans-
> port, on condition that the traffic flow is thereby 
reduced on routes or parts of routes where the road 
1 infrastructures are over used, highly polluted or 
present particular problems.' 
The Committee considers that the granting of aid in 
respect of operating costs should be subject to the 
approval of the Commission. 
3.2.2. The Committee calls for a reconsideration of 
the timetable set out by the Commission. 
3.2.3. The Committee also proposes that the joint 
, committees on road and rail transport established by 
the Commission be involved in the discussions. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
gives combined transport the encouragement that the 
Committee has always advocated, creates the basic 
political conditions for facilitating combined goods 
transport between the Community and third countries, 
even though not all commercial and technical aspects 
have been covered. Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of the agreement between 
the European Economic Community, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and Yugoslavia 
on the international combined road/rail carriage of goods (ATC) 
(88/C 318/07) 
On 19 September 1988 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 75 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The section for transport and communications, which was responsible for preparing the 
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 20 July 1988. The rapporteur was 
Mr Haas. 
At its 258th plenary session (meeting of 28 September 1988) the Economic and Social Comittee 
unanimously adopted the following Opinion. 
No C 318/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 12. 12. 88 
2. The Committee accordingly approves the pro­
posal for a Decision, subject to the following comments. 
2.1. First of all it is regrettable that Austria has not 
so far decided to accede to the agreement. In its Opinion 
of 23 March 1988 (!) the Committee drew attention to 
the importance of, and the need for, involvement of 
Austria, Switzerland and Yugoslavia in Community 
transit traffic. The Committee therefore calls upon the 
Commission to do everything in its power to persuade 
Austria to accede to the agreement. 
2.2. As regards the Protocol concerning the appli­
cation of Article 3, paragraph 2 b), in the territory of 
the European Economic Community, the Committee 
would welcome the earliest possible application of the 
Article in question. 2.3. The Committee interprets Article 2 (l)(a), 
second paragraph, as meaning that containers belong­
ing to firms established outside the territory of the 
Contracting Parties are also covered by the liberaliza­
tion provisions, provided the maximum dimensions of 
the swap bodies or containers do not exceed those laid 
down in current Community regulations. 
2.4. It is regrettable that the Agreement does not 
cover carriage by inland waterway as referred to in 
Directives 82/603/EEC and 86/544/EEC(2). 
0) OJ No C 134, 24. 5. 1988, p. 19. (2) Council Directives of 28 July 1982 and 10 November 1986 
amending Directive 75/130/EEC on the establishment of com­
mon rules for certain types of combined carriage of goods 
between Member States (OJ No L 247 of 23. 8. 1982, p. 6; 
OJ No L 320 of 15. 11. 1986, p. 33). 
Done at Brussels, 28 September 1988. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive on the reciprocal recognition of national 
boatmasters' certificates for the carriage of goods by inland navigation (*) 
(88/C 318/08) 
On 5 May 1988 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 75 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the above-
mentioned proposal. 
The section for transport and communications, which was responsible for preparing the 
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 14 September 1988. The rapporteur 
was Mr Tukker. 
At its 258th plenary session (meeting of 28 September 1988) the Economic and Social 
Committee unanimously adopted the following Opinion. 
1. General Comments 
1.1. (Paragraph A.l of the Commission document) 
The first of the general points in the Explanatory Mem­
orandum raises two questions: 
1. To which Community countries does the Direc­
tive apply? 
OJ No C 120, 7. 5. 1988, p. 7. 2. Is reciprocal recognition of national boatmas­
ters' certificates really necessary? 
Re: question 1: Although not explicity stated, it is clear 
from the text that the Directive applies only to those 
countries also covered by document COM(88) 111 final 
(reorganization of the inland waterways fleet). If this 
is in fact the case, the countries concerned (France, 
Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) 
should be mentioned by name.