No C 138/54 Official Journal of the European Communities 9. 6. 81 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 3164/ 
76 on the Community quota for the carriage of goods by road between Member States and 
the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Directive 65/269/EEC on the 
standardization of certain rules relating to authorizations for the carriage of goods by road 
between Member States 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the 
European Communities No C 350 of 31 December 1980, page 18. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 12 January 1981 the Council referred the abovementioned proposals to the 
Economic and Social Committee in accordance with Article 75 of the Treaty 
establishing the European Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 
185th plenary session held in Brussels on 25 and 26 February 1981. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 75 thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities on 12 January 1981 for 
an opinion on the aforementioned proposals, 
Having regard to Council Directive 65/269/EEC of 
13 May 1965 on the standardization of certain rules 
relating to authorizations for the carriage of goods by 
road between Member States (•), as amended by 
Council Directive 73/169/EEC of 25 June 1973(2), 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) 
No 3164/76 of 16 December 1976 on the Community 
quota for the carriage of goods by road between 
Member States (3), as last amended by Regulation 
(EEC) No 305/81 (4), 
Having regard to the decision taken by its chairman 
on 10 February 1981, instructing the Section for 
Transport and Communications to prepare an 
opinion on the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by the above 
(i) OJ No 88, 24. 5. 1965, p. 1469. 
(2) OJ No L 181, 4. 7. 1973, p. 20. 
(3) OJ No L 357, 29. 12. 1976, p. 1. 
(4) OJ No L34, 6.2. 1981, p. 1. Section at its 136th meeting held on 11 February 
1981, 
Having regard to the oral report made by the 
rapporteur, Mr Renaud, pursuant to Article 29 of the 
Committee's Rules of Procedure, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 185th plenary 
session held on 25 and 26 February 1981 (meeting of 
26 February 1981), 
Whereas the aim of the proposals is to facilitate the 
carriage of goods by road; 
Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 3164/76 and 
Directive 65/269/EEC stipulate that Community or 
bilateral authorizations cover combinations of a 
tractor or lorry plus trailer or semi-trailer; whereas 
difficulties occur, however, when the trailer or semi­
trailer is not registered in the same country as the 
tractor or lorry; and whereas in such instances some 
Member States require two authorizations per 
combination, thereby often stopping tractors from 
towing trailers or semi-trailers registered in a 
different country; 
Whereas in future authorizations are to be issued 
only for the tractor units regardless of the registration 
or ownership of the units in tow, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
by 51 votes to 18, with three abstentions: 
9. 6. 81 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 138/55 
2. The Committee notes however that the extension 
of the proposed arrangements to third countries and 
especially to transport to and from State-trading 
countries would have undesirable consequences. It 
should therefore be made clear that the planned 
simplifications relate only to the movement of 
vehicle combinations whose components units are 
registered in the various Member States. 
The Chairman 
of the 
Economic and Social Committee 
Tomas ROSEINGRAVE 
ANNEX 
to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee 
The following text of the Section's opinion was replaced by an amendment accepted during the 
debate: 
'2. The Section wonders, however, whether apart from prompting an increase in 
straightforward haulage operations, the proposed reform might cause difficulties of 
interpretation in cases where unaccompanied semi-trailers are carried on roll-on/roll-off 
vessels or are taken in tow by a tractor from another Member State at intra-Community border 
crossings. 
The explanatory memorandum mentions this case (indent (4) on page 4) as one of the 
consequences of the proposed amendments. This possibility must be examined in detail, for it 
seems to be in conflict with the aim of the proposals. 
The aim of the proposals is, in fact, to issue tractors with authorizations which cover "a 
coupled combination of vehicles". These authorizations cannot apply, even a contrario, to 
units of carriage by themselves. 
Therefore, semi-trailers which are carried by themselves on roll-on/roll-off vessels or are 
taken in tow by a new tractor at border crossings, may very well escape all forms of 
supervision. 
The extension of this system of authorizations to bilateral traffic will result in non- Member 
States wanting such authorizations to be applied to their bilateral traffic with Member States. 
Any extension to traffic with State-trading countries will be very dangerous, as the ESC noted 
in its discussion of the problems of transport between the EEC and East European 
countries. 
It should therefore be made clear that the planned simplifications relate only to the movement 
within the Community of multi-national combinations of vehicles from the Member States; 
under no circumstances will they deregulate the movement of unaccompanied units of 
carriage. 
The provisions adopted with regard to road/rail traffic are an exception in this respect, and 
not a precedent. 
Subject to these reservations, the Section is able to endorse the proposals.' 
Result of the voting 
For: 27, Against: 29, Abstentions: 6. 1. The Committee approves the Commission's 
proposals, which will undoubtedly simplify road 
haulage from an administrative and operational 
angle. If there are no restrictions on the trailers or 
semi-trailers that can be taken in tow, it will be much 
easier for firms to swap units and cooperate. The 
proposals will also encourage road hauliers to 
subcontract. 
Done at Brussels, 26 February 1981.