22. 7. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 191/25 
8. Specific comments 
Article 1 
8.1. In the light of the above, the Committee notes 
that speed, although an essential factor, is insufficient 
as the sole criterion. With reference to the draft Council 
Decision on the establishing of a European high-speed 
train network (OJ No C 34,14. 2. 1990), the Committee 
Done at Brussels, 29 May 1991. 
1. General comments 
1.1. It is quite natural that the Commission should 
be proposing a European system for observing the 
inland goods transport markets. In the Dutch text, 
however, it would be better to use the term 'inland-
goederenvervoer' rather than 'over-land-goederenver-
voer' as the proposed system covers transport by inland 
waterway as well as road and rail. recommends that the speeds indicated be coordinated 
with the present proposal. 
Article 2 
8.2. In its future work, the Commission's deliber­
ations should not focus only on the key links, but 
encompass all the constituent parts of the corridors 
examined. 
8.3. The content and aims of 'priority actions' should 
be defined. 
The Chairman . 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois STAEDELIN 
In discussing the crisis mechanism the Economic and 
Social Committee pressed for a market observation 
system (MOS). Now that the Council of Ministers has 
adopted the crisis mechanism (December 1990), the task 
at hand is to get the MOS off the ground as quickly as 
possible. 
1.2. The proposal is very general. This raises the 
question as to whether the Commission will be spelling 
out in more detail the data it wishes to receive. Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision for the European system for observing the 
inland goods transport markets (!) 
(91/C 191/11) 
On 23 January 1991, 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 Tranport and Communications, which was responsible for preparing the 
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 8 May 1991. The Rapporteur was 
Mr Tukker. 
At its 287th plenary session (meeting of 29 May 1991), the Economic and Social Committee 
unanimously adopted the following Opinion. 
(!) OJ No C 29, 5. 2. 1991, p. 8. The ESC urges the Commission to involve the statistical 
offices of the Member States when compiling data in 
order to avoid problems and duplication of work. 
No C 191/26 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 91 
The ESC asks the Commission to define standards 
methods of data collection, evaluation and analysis on 
which to base the market observation system. 
The ESC also calls on the Commission to do its utmost 
to ensure that all Member States submit the statistical 
data promptly and regularly. 
1.3. Part of the MOS operates via the Statistical 
Directive. But this Directive has a large number of 
shortcomings, e.g. data not harmonized, often submit­
ted late or not at all; the statistics committee meets only 
once a year. 
The ESC notes that this proposal for a Decision will 
not supersede the Statistics Directive. The Committee 
therefore urges the Commission to take this opportunity 
to review the statistics Directive. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. In the Netherlands too the price survey has been 
linked to the Statistics Directive. This has the advantage 
of reducing the burden on the transport operator. The 
ESC expects this to remain the case. 
2.2. The ESC also argued at the time that the data 
needed to be submitted very promptly if the crisis 
mechanism was to work. A five month deadline for the 
Done at Brussels, 29 May 1991. submission of quarterly data is too long. The ESC 
therefore again calls on the Commission to ensure that 
these procedures are accelerated. 
Another question is the reliability of the data. A sample 
covering one week a year is rather small, but it is still 
better than having no data at all. 
2.3. A transport operator already has to fill in stat­
istical forms, cabotage reports and Community trans­
port reports. The introduction of the present Decision 
will carry the danger of duplication. The ESC asks the 
Commission to ensure that this cannot happen so as to 
avoid the imposition of further burdens on the transport 
industry. 
2.4. The ESC asks the Commission to collect any 
additional data via the statistical office of the Member 
State concerned. This has the major advantage that the 
transport operator has to deal with one body only and 
that the national statistical office is responsible for the 
prompt and complete submission of date. 
Conclusion 
The ESC endorses the proposal for a Decision COM (90) 
652 final and hopes that the Commission will take 
account of the above comments. 
The Committee would appreciate being kept informed 
of developments. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois STAEDELIN