No C 112/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 7. 5. 90 
2.1.5. Because the Committee attaches special 
importance to this point, it considers such a change to 
be absolutely necessary. 2.2. Article 38 
The Committee advocates a clarification in Article 38 
to the effect that the T2 procedure can be dispensed 
with except when it is required by Article 1(3). 
Done at Brussels, 28 February 1990. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending Regulation (EEC) 
No 3164/76 concerning access to the market in the international carriage of goods by road (x) 
(90/C 112/05) 
On 8 December 1989 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 75 of 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 February 1990. The rapporteur 
was Mr Corell Ayora. 
At its 274th plenary session (meeting of 28 February) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the Opinion set out below by a majority vote, with one abstention. 
1. Commission objectives 
1.1. The Commission proposes cumulative annual 
increases of 40% in the EC quotas for 1990, 1991 and 
1992. The quotas are to be allocated to the Member 
States on the basis of the current allocations. 
In the Commission's view this procedure will make it 
possible to switch over to the new system applicable 
from 1993 in the smoothest possible way without dis­
turbing the market. It will also permit full implemen­
tation of the freedom to provide intra-Community road 
haulage services. 
1.2. The proposal also provides for abolition of the 
current obligation for record sheets to be inspected at 
frontiers. This concession is part of the phased removal, 
by the beginning of 1993, of checks at internal frontiers. 2. General comments 
2.1. The Committee draws attention to its earlier 
detailed examination, based on reports drawn up by 
Mr L. Smith, of the common rules governing access to 
the market in the carriage of goods by road between 
Member States. 
In its two Opinions of 26 November 1986 (2) and 
1 July 1987 (3) on this matter, the Committee agreed in 
principe with the phased liberalization of the intra-
Community road transport markets during the tran­
sitional period. It did, however, underline the need to 
introduce a number of support measures relating to 
operating and working conditions during this tran­
sitional period. 
These basic comments apply equally to the Com­
mission's proposed increases in the Community quota 
in 1990, 1991 and 1992. 
(J) OJ No C 316, 16. 12. 1989, p. 6. (2) OJ No C 333, 29. 12. 1986, p. 19. 
(3) OJ No C 232, 31. 8. 1987, p. 34. 
7. 5. 90 Official Journal of 
With this in mind, the Committee accepts the proposal 
for a 40% annual increase in the quotas up to 1993. 
2.1.1. The Committee notes that a number of sup­
port measures have been taken in recent years, in par­
ticular : 
— the introduction of a Directive (2) on more uniform 
application and monitoring of driving and rest 
periods, 
— the extensive approximation of technical provisions 
concerning commercial vehicles. 
2.1.2. The Committee is, however, of the opinion 
that the Commission and the Council still have a long 
way to go if they are to introduce, by the end of the 
transitional period, operating and working conditions 
guaranteeing equality of treatment for carriers and their 
staff both within and between different modes of trans­
port. 
In the taxation field the current situation and outlook 
are particularly bad. Decisions of a practical nature 
have yet to be taken. Contrary to earlier indications, 
the Commission is still not in a position to submit 
proposals for solving the important problem of infra­
structure cost allocation. 
Given the limited scope of the harmonization measures 
pursued by the EC authorities, there is also a need for 
back-up measures to be taken in each of the Member 
States. 
2.2. The Committee unreservedly approves the Com­
mission's proposals for facilitating the crossing of the 
Community's internal frontiers. 
3. Specific comments 
3.1. The proposal is a follow-up to the Council's 
June 1986 guidelines. It derives in part from Regulation 
(EEC) No 1841/88 (2), amending Regulation (EEC) 
(!) OJ No L 325, 29. 11. 1988, p. 55. 
(2) OJ No L 163, 30. 6. 1988, p. 1. 
Done at Brussels, 28 February 1990. European Communities No C 112/15 
No 3164/76 (3), which dealt with Community quotas. 
Under the new Article 3(3) and (4) of Regulation (EEC) 
No 3164/76, the Commission was to submit to the 
Council by 31 December 1989: 
a) proposed increases in the Community quota from 
1990; 
b) a report on the impact of the earlier increases; 
c) proposed measures to be taken in the event of a 
crisis. 
Under Article 3(4) the Member States were also to 
adopt by 31 March 1990, on the basis of a proposal 
from the Commission, the arrangements to apply to 
transport between Member States in transit through 
non-EC countries, without discriminating between 
transporters from the various Member States. 
The Committee notes that, by the end of 1989, the 
Commission had submitted proposals only in respect 
of points a) and b). 
3.2. The Commission's report on the impact of 
earlier increases in the Community quota clearly con­
tains much information of undeniable interest. 
However, the report mainly contains technical statistics 
and does not permit a fair assessment of the market 
liberalization policy's impact on market development 
and performance. 
This being the case, the Commission's current market-
surveillance system clearly cannot provide the right 
answers. 
3.3. The Committee draws particular attention to 
the potentially serious consequences of a failure to 
reach agreement with Alpine countries and Yugoslavia 
over the rules governing access to transport between 
Member States in transit through those countries. 
The policy of imposing restrictions on transit pursued 
by the non-EC countries in this region may deprive 
carriers operating on these routes of the possibility 
of benefiting from the liberalization policy which the 
Community has been initiating in particular since 1985. 
(3) OJ No L 357, 29. 12. 1976, p. 1. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE