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DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(77)596
Vol.1977/0195

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(77)596final.
... ,
Brussels,24November1977
ûi■,>'V/
..^y
COMMUNICATION FROMTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCIL
PrioritybusinessforaCouncilWorkingProgrammeto1980
CCKC77)596final

-iSPORT
.loritybusinessforaCouncilv-rkin*Programmeto1980
•îDi£2dy£ii£0_3D^_52ii£i:_sstt inq
Atitstransportmeetingon27th/28thJtnethisyear,theCouncil,
followinganexchangeofviewsonobjectivesanjprioritiesforCommunity
transportaction,invitedtheCommissiontoputforwardaworking
programmeofpriorityitemsforCouncilactionduring1978,1979and1980.
2.Thispriorityprogrammelistisnowpresentedaccordingly.Ithasbeen
establishedwithintheobjectivesandpoliciesfotheCommission'sCommuni­
cationtotheCouncilofOctober1973,takingintoaccountthefavourable
reactiontoitsmainlinesandtheresolutionsproposedandviewsexpressed
inCouncil,aswellasthoseoftheParliamentandtheEconomicandSocial
Committee.AsexpresslyaskedbytheCouncil,theCommissionhasconcentra­
tedonessentialsinpolicytermsanduponmeasuresofgreatestpractical
urgency,assessingrealistically whatcanbemanaged,havingregardtostate
ofreadinessofproposalsandtimeneededforconsideration byCommunity
Institutions.Overandabovethoselisted,itwouldbedesirableforother
itemsalsotobetaken,whileforceofchangingcircumstances maycompel
attentiontoparticulartopics:however,acceleration andintensification
ofeffortonselectedtopicsimpliestheconverse.
Inanyeventitisclearthatfulfilmentoftheprogrammewoulddepend
cruciallyuponresourcesforeffort,includingtheCommission's,andthe
CommissionwouldaccordinglylooktotheCounciltoreceivefavourablyany
appropriateproposalsinthatregarditmightbeobligedtomake.
3.TheCommission's1973Communication andproposalsstemmingfromit
recognisedthatcontinuinginteractionofpoliciesintransportandin
otherfieldsofCommunityconcernandaction.Thisremainstrue.Optimal
utilisationofresources,intransportsystemswhichprovideservices
efficientlyandresponsivelytousers'needs,isamongthekeysto
masteringcurrenteconomicandsocialdifficulties andtopromoting
integrationandprogressoftheCommunity.Transparencyofcostsand
benefits,inawidesense,andaccurateandup-to-dateinformation
remainessentialtoolsforanapproachwhichisobjectiveandimpartial
asbetweenmodesoftransportandfullyexploitsthebenefitsof
co-operation .

-2-
4.Themeasurestobepressedforwardarethoseatthecoreoftransport
policyalreadysetoutfortheCommunity.Theyincludeboththeprogressive
bringingintobeingofaninfrastructure networkandservicesinthe
transportmarketsflexiblyadaptabletoeasyandreliablemovementto
meetusers'needsandthepublicinterest,atleastcost,bothinthe
widestsenseandinburdensontaxpayers.Improvedeconomicfitnessof
therailwaysintheirCommunityandEuropeansettingundermodern
circumstances ispartofthis.Theroleoftransportofallkindsinthe
Community'srelationswithitsneighboursandthewiderworldandin
international organisations isboundtobeanincreasingly importantand
demandingelementinCommunityaction.
II.The_grigrjty_working_grogramme_to_1980
5.Alistofprioritymeasuresaccordingly,forwhichCouncildecisions
"shouldbereachedbetweennow'andtheendof1980,isattached.The
followingbriefexplanation#^whytheyarerelevantandurgentareinan
orderforclarityofexposition,withoutimplicationsfortheirimportance
ortimingrelativetoeachother.
lolltrueture_deveJ.ogmerit .TheCommunitydimensionisnotably
relevantindevelopingtheshapeandcapabilities ofinfrastructure networks.
Thesehave,takingallmodestogether,toaccomodateservicestomeet
theneedsofpassengers andgoodstrafficbetweentheMemberStates(and
withtherestoftheworld),toopenuptheregionsoftheCommunityfor
interchange witheachotherandtohelpdeveloptheperipheryandease
congestionoftheheartlands.Thefieldisonewherepublicauthorities
continually andnecessarily act.Theiractionshould,whereverrelevant,
befittedintotheshapingofoptimalCommunitynetworks.Tothisend
theCommissionhasproposedimprovedarrangements forconsultation aswell
asmeanstosupportprojectsofnoteworthy Communityinterestforachieving
anadequateCommunitysystem.
7.Imputationofcostsofuseofinfrastructures ...–c willpromotemore
rationalutilisation.Thefirststeptowardscomprehensive usercharges
isadoptionofthedirectiveregardingnationaltaxsystemsforcommercial
vehiclesnowbeforetheCouncil.Itwillbefollowedbyproposalsfor
practicalmeasuresconcerningtaxationbsaHn§oninternational road

-3-
haulage.(Measures,withinthesamepolicyapproach,todealwithcosts
ofuseofinfrastructures byothersurfacemodesandastartonquanti­
ficationofexternalcostsareexpectedtocomebeofretheCouncil
after1980).
8.Progressive improvementofthefinancjal_and_çommerç2al_soundness
andadaptationtomodernconditionsoftherailways_ ,e –■<--arenecessary in
transportpolicy.Theyinvolvetheneedtopressaheadassetoutinthe
Council'sdecisionof20thMay1975andtofulfiltheprogrammeofwork
whichwasanintegralpartofthatdecision.Inthisthecorporateaction
programmes,includinginvestment andfinancialplans,tobeproposedby
therailwayswillbeimportant,aswellasco-operation betweenthe
railways(ofwhichdevelopment ofdirecttariffsisoneaspect).
9.TheCommission haspresentedthefirstbi-annualreportonthe
financialhealthoftherailways.Searchingdiscussion inCouncilofthe
objectives andreasoningsetoutinthatreportiscalledfor,andshould
aimatdrawingpertinentconclusions asabasisforaction.Twomeasures
clearlywarrantingpriorityforadoptionareadoptionofuniform
principlesforcalculation ofcostsandthesettingofdatesandconditions
bywhichfinancialbalanceoftherailwaysundertakings shouldbeachieved.
10.£omb_ined_transgort^Readinessforamulti-modal approachandco­
operationareleitmotifsinaCommunitypolicy.Theabilityofcombined_
transgorttobenefitfromspecialisation withincomplementarity should
befullyexploited,whereversuitable.Thisinvolvesbothconcertedplan­
ningofinfrastructure andmaterialandfacilitation inthemarketsand
operationally :spin-offfrommorerewardingexploitation oftherail
elementcanboostthecommercialhealthoftherailways.
11.Asfortheworkjngs_of_transgort_market s,theapproach,fromthe
beginningsoftheCommunity,consonantwiththeTreatyandreaffirmedin
theCommission'sCommunication of1973,hasaimedatacommonmarketfor
transportservices,functioning freely,withsafetynets.TheCommission
submittedaccordingly in1975areportandsetofproposals (followedup
since)whichsoughtprogressively greaterfreedomincarriageofgoods

-4-
be^ween_Member_States_-Amongtheseareproposals ontheCouncil'stablefor
extensionsofCommunityquotasandthefirstdirective onroadhaulage,
whichshouldbeadoptedasawholeorbyrapidinstalments .Those1975
proposalsalsoprovidedforintroduction ofasystemofobservation of
themarketsintransportservicesbyalltransport modes:thisshouldbe
broughtin,seeing,moreover,itisanecessarypartofsafeguards
againstgravedisequilibriaandcrises,togetherwithchecksagainst
uneconomic behaviour.Aneffectivesystemofintelligence andinformation
onthestateofthemarketswouldalsosupportfurtherstepstomakeit
easierforsupplyofhaulageservicestorespondtodemand.Weights_and _
ofroadtransportvehicles(andsomerelatedtechnicalpoints)
shouldbesettled.
12.Theobjectivesfor2Q!30<Lwaterway_goods_t ransgort_are substantially
similar,includingmeasuresforcapacity,introduction ofreferencetariffs,
marketobservation andsafeguardarrangements forcrisismanagement and
tocheckuneconomic behaviour.Astocapacity,afirstpriorityisto
bringtheRhinetemporarylaying-up schemeandfundintooperation.
13.For9a§sengers_by_road ,currentnegotiations onoccasionalservices
withthirdcountriesbelongingtoECMTshouldbecompleted.Further
simplification ofadministrative handlingwillbesought.Effortwillbe
putintoextendingthescopetoprovideservicesbetweenandthrough
Communitycountriesintheinterestsofthetravellingpublic.
14.Forbothroadandinlandwaterwaytransportabilityisneededto
dealwiththespecialproblemspresented bytheeconomicpracticesof
state-trading countries andtheirenterprises .Forinland
navigation afirststepistomodifytheMannheimConvention .
15.Inshjgging,theexamination alreadyunderwaybetweenMemberStates
andtheCommission,designedtopin-pointthefieldswhereCommunityaction
iscalledfor,shouldbepushedahead.Theprioritytasksinhandare:
-problemsarisingforlinertradesoverthecodeofconductandflag
discrimination ,definition "ofcompetitionrulesinseatransport,theimpact
ofEasternblocactivity,sub-standard shipsandmutualacceptanceofseafa­
rers'qualifications,togetherwitheffectivemeansofinfluenceininterna­
tionalorganisations ,suchasIMCO.

16.inair^transgort ,theCouncil,onthebasisoftheworkoftheir
transportgroup,speciallycomposedforthepurpose,willneedtoindicate
(alongsidetheCommission'scontinuingpossibilities forinitiative)the
priorityaereasforCommunityinterestandaction.Actionshouldbetaken
forcloserandmoreeffectiverelationswithinternational organisations ,
notablyICAOandECAC.Theapplication ofCommunitycompetition rules
shouldbedefinedforairtransport.
17.TheCommissionwillcontinueitsworkongorts,andwillpresent,as
maybeappropriate,proposalsforthesoundnessoftheportscompetitive
positionasbetweenthemselves andtowardsthirdcountryports:these,
however,maynotfallfordecisionbefore1980.
18.TheCommissionwillalsocontinueitswork,inassociation with
MemberStates,toeaseandspeedfrontjerjcrossing andwillpresentany
proposalsforCouncildecisionsthatmaycallfor.
19.Thereareseveralheadsforactionaffectingtransportinwhichthe
motivesofinterestforactionarerootedwider.Theirimportanceis
emphasised :thefactorsfortimingofdecisions onthemaredistinguish­
able;theyare:
-Summertj_me_arrangements .Adecisionontheseshouldbereached
bySpring1978topermittimetables etc.tobeadjustedfor
effectfromSummer1979;
-thebalanceofactiononsocialworkingconditionsinroad
transportremainsforadoptionfromtheCommission'sproposal
ofMarch1976,andforinlandwaterwaytransporttheCommission's
proposalofNovember1975isonthetable.Earlydecisions on
theseareurged;theCouncilwillbeawareoftheconcernofthe
workpeople inthesesectorsandoftheircompetitors ;
-drjvinglicencgs.TheCouncilshouldbeabletolegislatein
December1977.Ifnotthen,earlyactionafterwards wouldbein
theinterestofCommunitycitizenslivingandworkinginother
Communitycountriesandofsafety,aswellassymbolising the
realityoftheCommunityfortheindividual.

20.Accordingly theCouncilisinvitedtoadoptthedraftofareso­
lutionofalistofprioritiesforitsactivities,yearbyyear,fromnow
untiltheendof1980,whichisattachedwhiletheCommissionwillundertake
tosubmit,induetimetofit/intotheprogramme,proposals wheretheydo
notalreadyexist.

Resolution oftheCouncil
concerningtheprioritiesandthecalendarofdecisions
tobetakenbytheCouncilinthecourseoftheperiodlasting
until1980
THECOUNCILOPTHEEUROPEAN "COMMUNITIES
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropean
EconomioCommunity;
HavingregardtotheCommunication oftheCommissiontothe
Councilconcerningthedevelopment oftheCommonTransport
Policyofthe25Ootober1973(1)»whichcontainedaworking
programmefortheyears1974"to1976,
HavingregardtotheopinionsoftheEuropeanParliament(2)
dated25September1974andoftheEconomioSocialCommittee(3)
datedthe28Haroh1974and25September1975concerningthis
Communication f
HavingregardtotheCommunication oftheCommissionof23
November 1977»inreplytotherequestoftheCouncilto
submittoitaworkingprogrammeincludingalistofpriority
actionstobeadoptedbytheCouncil,
Whereashavingregardtothelimitedprogressmadeinthecourse
ofrecentyears,itisneoessaryinsuchaprogrammetodefine
priorityaotionsandtoplacetheaccentinparticular onthe
measurestobeadoptedinthefieldsoftransportinfrastruotures,
thefunctioningofthetransportmarkets,conditionsofcompetition,
theimprovementoftheeoonomiosituationofrailwaysandother
modesoftransportandasregardsrelationswiththirdoountries:
(1)BulletinoftheEuropeanCommunities;supplement16/73
(2)O.J.181ofSeptember1974
(3)O.J.0126of17.10.1974andO.J.C286of15.12.1975

Whereasthisprogrammemust"takeaccountnotonlyofthe
interestofusersingeneralbutalsothoseofcarriers
andtransportworkersandmustrespeotthepubliointerest;
–approvesthelistofpriorities andthecalendarof
decisionstobeadoptedduringtheperiodlastinguntil
1980,containedintheannex,andforthatpurposewill
undertaketoexaminetheproposalsoftheCommissionwithin
theappropriateperiods,
–takesnoteoftheCommunication oftheCommissioncontaining
adeclaration accordingtowhichitwillsubmitat
appropriate timesproposalsneoessaryfortherealisation
ofthisprogrammetotheextentthattheyhavenotalready
beensubmittedtotheCouncil*
DoneatBrussels,
FortheCounoil
ThePresident

ANNEX
PRIORITYLISTANDTIMETABLE
OFDECISIONS TOBETAKENBYTHECOUNCIL
(thelistofpointsineachperiodhasnotbeendrawnupin
anyparticular orderofpriority)
PARTA
Betweennowandend1978
-systemforconsultation ontransportinfrastructure programmes andsupport
forprojectsofespecialCommunityinterest
-firstdirective oncommercial vehicletaxationsystem
-adoptuniformprinciplesforcalculation ofrailways *costs
-summertime
-referencetariffsrailwaysandinlandnavigation
-enlargement ofCommunityquotasandfirstroadhaulagedirective
-systemofobservation ofinlandtransportmarkets
-establishment ofRhinelaying-upfund
-additionalprotocoltotheActofMannheim
-measuresrelatingtolinertradeproblemsresultingfromthecodeof
conductformaritimeconferences <
-policyonimpactofstate-trading countries'shippingpractices
-reinforcedrelationswithinternational organisations inairtransport
1979
-furtherdevelopment ofcombinedtransport
-furtherprogressinadaptationofroadhaulagecapacityregime,including
safeguardsagainstgravedisturbance ofthemarketsanduneconomic behaviour
-policyonimpactofstate-trading countries' roadtransportpractices
-directtariffsforrailways
-actiononsub-standard ships
-mutualacceptability ofseafarers'qualifications

-2-
-modalitiesforapplication ofcompetition rulestoairtransport
-roadvehicleweightsanddimensions
1980
-practical measuresonapplication oftaxestointernational roadhaulage
-measuresonaccesstoinlandwaterwaystransportmarkets,includingsafe­
guardsagainstgravedisturbance ofthemarketanduneconomic behaviour
-settingthedeadlinesforandconditionsofrailways'financialbalance
PARTB
Matterstobedealtwithattheappropriate timeduringtheperioduptothe
endof1980
-balanceofactiononsocial_regulations_for_road_trans|Dort workingconditions
-tobepressedaheadassoonaspossible
-social_regulations_for_inland_waterwa£S workingconditions-tobegiven
prioritywithintheperiodupto1980
-drivers^_licences-assoonaspossible
-furtheradministrative simplification andgreaterscopeforInternational
L2§£LB§ssenger _services
-otherstepsinpursuitof1975railwaysdecision,notablyincooperation
between_rai Iwa^s
-modalitiesfortheapplicationofcompetition_rules_in_rnaritime_transgort