Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL amending Protocol No 9 to the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden as regards the system of ecopoints for heavy goods vehicles transiting through Austria

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The report from the Commission to the Council on the transit of goods by road through Austria concludes that the ecopoint system shall continue for a final period of 3 years until the end of 2003.

However, under such a situation Protocol No 9 enables the Council to modify the ecopoint system provided that the overall aim - a 60% reduction in vehicle emissions - is respected.

The Commission is thus bringing forward a proposal for a regulation that will amend the ecopoint system in line with the conclusions contained in the ecopoint report.

2000/0361 (COD)

Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL amending Protocol No 9 to the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden as regards the system of ecopoints for heavy goods vehicles transiting through Austria

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden [1], and in particular Article 11(4) of Protocol 9 thereto,

[1] OJ No C241, 29.8.1994, p. 1

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in the abovementioned Protocol,

Whereas:

(1) Protocol No 9 of the Act of Accession provides for a special regime concerning the transit of heavy goods vehicles through Austrian territory based on a system of Rights of Transit (ecopoints).

(2) Article 11(4) of Protocol No 9 enables the Council, in accordance with Article 71 of the EC Treaty, to adopt measures, within a Community framework, which ensure equivalent protection of the environment, in particular a 60% reduction in pollution.

(3) Such measures may be adopted only if the Commission concludes that the objective of reducing pollution by 60 percent compared with 1991 has not been achieved before 1 January 2001 on a sustainable basis. The Commission has written a report confirming this conclusion.

(4) The ecopoint system has had a very positive effect on encouraging road hauliers with lorries registered in the EU to use environmentally friendly lorries to transit Austria. Since the aim of the ecopoint system is to encourage hauliers to use more environmentally friendly lorries when transiting Austria it is contradictory to have a sanction that actually arises from lorries being "too green".

(5) Protocol No 9 should be amended accordingly.

(6) It is necessary for this Regulation to enter into force as a matter of urgency in order that clear rules apply for lorries transiting Austria from 2001.

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Protocol No. 9 to the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden is amended as follows:

1) Article 11(2)(c) shall be deleted.

2) Paragraph 3 of Annex 5 shall be deleted.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, [...]

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President

[...] [...]

TABLE 1a: Original Distribution of Ecopoints in accordance with EEC-Austria Transit Agreement and Act of Accession of Austria

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TABLE 1b: Revised Distribution of Ecopoints following inclusion of EEA countries and ecopoint reduction in Council Reg 2012/2000

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Table 2a : Total no. of transit trips through Austria

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TABLE 2b: UNAUTHORISED TRANSIT JOURNEYS BY LORRIES THROUGH AUSTRIA 1998-2000

Table 3: Average number of ecopoints used per transit trip

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AVERAGE ECOPOINT USE 1991-2003

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TABLE 4: Ecopoint Use by Member State

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE OF LORRIES TRANSITING AUSTRIA

Table 5a: Ecopoints used per lorry

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Table 5b: Proportions of lorries meeting EU standards

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EMISSIONS STANDARDS OF LORRIES TRANSITING AUSTRIA

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TABLE 6: TRAFFIC FLOWS ON MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDORS THROUGH AUSTRIA1997 AND 1999

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RAIL FREIGHT THROUGH AUSTRIA 1991 - 1999

TABLE 7a - Total Freight transiting Austria

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TABLE 7b - Major origin/destinations of railfreight transiting Austria

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TABLE 8: ADDITIONAL RAILFREIGHT CAPACITY IN AUSTRIA

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TABLE 9: Average NOx Emissions per motor vehicle in the Brenner Valley - 1980-2010

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TABLE 10: Average NOx Emissions per motor vehicle in the Inn Valley - 1980-2010

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TABLE 11: Relative NOx Emissions per motor vehicle in the Brenner Valley - 1980-2010 (base year 2000 = 1,00)

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TABLE 12: Relative NOx Emissions per motor vehicle in the Inn Valley - 1980-2010 (base year 2000 = 1,00)

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TABLE 13

Total NOx Emissions from motor vehicles in the Brenner Valley - 1980-2010

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TABLE 14: Total NOx Emissions from motor vehicles in the Inn Valley - 1980-2010

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TABLE 15: TOTAL NOx EMISSIONS FROM TRANSPORT IN AUSTRIA

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