17.2.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC40/15
2.2.TheCommitteethereforeendorsestheobjective
laiddownintheCommissionproposalbutbelievesthat
thecountriesinvolvedshouldbeencouragedtofallintolinevoluntarily,sothatthisanomalymayberesolved
expeditiously .
DoneatBrussels,27November1991.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
FrancoisSTAEDELIN
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)onaccesstothemarketforthe
carriageofgoodsbyroadintheEuropeanCommunitytoorfromtheterritoryofaMember
StateorpassingacrosstheterritoryofoneormoreMemberStates(*)
(92/C40/09)
On6September1991theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle75oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforTransportandCommunications ,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingthe
Committee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon13November1991.TheRapporteur
wasMrTukker.
Atits291stplenarysession(meetingof27November1991),theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedthefollowingOpinionbyamajorityvote,withoneabstention .
1.Introduction
1.1.BymeansofRegulation (EEC)No1841/88of
21June1988theCouncildecidedtoabolishforCom­
munityhauliers,from1January1993,allquotasrelat­
ingtointra-Community carriageofgoodsbyroadon
Communityterritoryandtoreplacethosequotaswith
asystemofCommunitylicencesissuedonthebasisof
qualitativecriteria.
1.2.ThesedecisionsarebasedonArticle75(l)(a)of
theECTreatyinwhichtheCounciliscalleduponto
laydowncommonrulesapplicabletointernational
transporttoorfromtheterritoryofaMemberState
orpassingacrosstheterritoryofoneormoreMember
States.1.3.TheaimoftheproposedRegulationistoenable
theCounciltocarryouttheaforementioned decisions.
Theproposalprovidesfor,interalia:
—completefreedomtoprovideservices(equaltreat­
ment)forroadhauliersinintra-Community trans­
port,
—replacementofquantitativerestrictionsonaccessto
themarketbyqualitativecriteriawhichhauliers
mustsatisfy,
—drawing-upofrulesforfreeaccesstotherelevant
marketonthebasisofqualitativecriteria:inprac­
ticethismeanstheissueofaquota-freeCommunity
authorizationwhichisvalidforseveralyearsand
placesnorestrictionsontheactivitiesofhauliers. (i)OJNoC238,13.9.1991,p.2.

NoC40/16 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 17.2.92
2.2.1.2.AtalleventstheCommunityauthorizations
arequota-freeandgiveaccesstotheCommunitytrans­
portmarketwithouttheimpositionofquantitative
restrictions .2.Explanatorynotesonthetextofthedraftproposal
2.1.ScopeoftheRegulation(Art.1and2)
2.1.1.AccordingtotheproposaltheRegulationwill
applytoanytransportoperationcarriedoutonthe
territoryoftheCommunity,i.e.anytransportbetween
MemberStatesandthefollowingkindsoftransport
operationinrespectofthatpartoftheirjourneycarried
outintheCommunity :
—transportoperationsstartinginaMemberStateand
endinginanon-Community country,
—transportoperationsstartinginanon-Community
countryandendinginaMemberState,
—transportoperationsbetweennon-Community
countriesintransitacrosstheterritoryofoneor
moreMemberStates.
2.1.2.Theproposaldoesnotcovercabotage.The
Commission istosubmitaseparateproposaltolib­
eralizecabotage.
2.1.2.1.Accordingtotheproposal,whatdetermines
whethertheRegulationappliesornotisthejourney
madebythevehicleratherthanthemovementofthe
goods.TheRegulationwillapplyif,forinstance,goods
arrivebyshipataseaportinaMemberStateAand
arecarried,whethertranshippedornot,byroadto
MemberStateB.2.3.Replacementofexistingauthorizations byCom­
munityauthorizations (Art.4)
2.3.1.AllcurrentECauthorizations forinternational
transport(bilateralandmultilateralauthorizations )are
tobereplacedbytheCommunityauthorization .
Nationalauthorizations fortransbordertransportare
abolishedbythisprovision.
2.3.1.1.Inthisconnectionitshouldfurtherbe
pointedoutthattheproposedRegulationcoverstrans­
bordertransportoperationsandhencecannotrestrict
MemberStates'policy-making inrespectofdomestic
hauliers.Thereforenationalauthorizations fordom­
estictransportoperationsmaycontinue.
2.4.Issueofauthorizations (Art.5)
2.4.1.TheMemberStates(competentauthorities)
themselvesissuetheCommunityauthorizations totheir
nationals.(Certifiedcopiesareissuedwherethehaulier
hasmorethanonelorry.)
2.5.Periodofvalidityofauthorizations (Art.6)
2.5.1.Theauthorization isissuedforamaximumof
sixyearsandmaybeextendedforafurtherperiodnot
exceedingsixyearsontheholder'srequest.
2.6.Criteria(Art.7and8)
2.6.1.Whenanauthorization isappliedforor
extended(andeverythreeyearsafterissueorextension)
thecompetentauthoritiesmustcheckwhetherthe
haulier:
—satisfiesthequalitativecriteriaofDirective74/561/
EEC,asamendedbyDirective89/438/EEC(pro­
fessionalcompetence,reliabilityandcreditworthi­
ness),
—iscomplyingwithhistax,social,technicaland
administrative obligations .
2.6.2.Inaddition,conditionsaffectingthepublic
interest(safety,protectionoftheenvironment ,etc.)
may,afterconsultationoftheCommission ,beattached
totheissueorextensionofauthorizations .2.2.AccesstotheCommunitytransportmarket
(Art.3)
2.2.1.AccesstotheCommunitytransportmarketis
grantedtohaulierswho:
—areestablishedinaMemberStateinaccordance
withthelegislationofthatState,
—satisfythequalitativecriteriaforaccesstothepro­
fession(Directive74/561/EECamended,i.e.made
morestringent,byDirective89/438/EEC)andthe
rulesforaccesstothemarketinforceinthatMem­
berState,
—areholdersofaCommunityauthorization .
2.2.1.1.Itcouldbeconcludedfromthesearrange­
mentsthattheMemberStateshave,inprinciple,the
righttoimposeextraconditionsonaccesstothemarket
fortheirownnationals.Communityhauliersmust
notonlypossessaCommunityauthorization ,for
whichtheymustsatisfytheconditionslaiddownin
Articles7and8oftheproposal,butmustalsosatisfy
theconditionslaiddownbytheMemberStatesfor
accesstothemarket.Itmust,however,beassumedthat
theconditionswhichMemberStatesimposeontheir
ownnationalsforaccesstotheintra-Community mar­
kethavetobeconsistentwiththeprovisionsofthis
Regulation.Butasfarasaccesstothedomesticmarket
isconcerned,theMemberStatescanpursuetheirown
policywithregardtotheirnationals.2.7.Withdrawalofauthorizations (Art.9)
2.7.1.Theauthorization maybewithdrawnifthe
haulier:
—nolongersatisfiestheconditionsandruleslaid
downinArticles3(2),7and8,

17.2.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC40/17
mentsandcompliancewithtax,social,technical
andadministrative provisions .Topreventdistor­
tionsofcompetitionitisnecessarytoaligncertain
provisions,socialprovisionsinparticular,within
theMemberStates.Inaddition,surveillanceofcom­
pliancewiththeseprovisionsmustbeuniform
throughouttheCommunity .—hassuppliedincorrectinformationwhenapplying
fortheissueorextensionoftheauthorization ,
—hasbeenconvictedofseriousandrepeatedinfringe­
mentsoftransportandtrafficrules.
2.7.2.Accordingtoinformationsuppliedsub­
sequentlybytheCommission ,theseinfringementscon­
cern:
a)safety,environmental andsocialregulations;
b)rightofestablishment ,freemovementofservices
andunfaircompetition .
2.7.3.Ahaulierwhoseapplicationforanauthoriz­
ationisrejectedorwhoseauthorization iswithdrawn
mayappealtothecompetentMemberStateauthorities
againstthisdecision.—Article9stipulatesthattheauthorization maybe
withdrawn,interalia,wherethehaulierhasbeen
convictedofseriousandrepeatedinfringementof
theprovisionsgoverningtransportandtraffic.Such
vaguewordingdoesnotprovideanadequate
guaranteethattheMemberStateswillapplythe
provisionsuniformly.IntheCommittee'sviewthe
conditionsneedtobespeltoutandtheEClegis­
lationmustbeappliedcorrectlyanduniformlyby
theMemberStates.
—Ontheotherhand,thelistingofinfringements
inArticle11seemssuperfluous .Thereisalsothe
questionofwhethertheprovisionregardingthe
detentionofvehiclescouldbeinterpreteddifferently
bytheMemberStates.2.8.Provisionofinformation(Art.10and11)
2.8.1.Inordertokeepaneyeonthemarketandto
detectanimminentcrisis,theRegulationstipulatesthat
thecompetentauthoritieshavetoinformtheCom­
mission,by31Januaryeachyear,ofthenumberof
haulierspossessinganauthorizationandthenumberof
certifiedcopiesissuedduringthepreceedingyear.
2.8.1.1.TheMemberStatesmustinformeachother
oftheauthorizations issued(nameofhaulierspos­
sessinganauthorizationandnumberofcertifiedcopies
perhaulier),anyinfringementscommittedbyforeign
hauliersandthepenaltiesapplied.—TheCommunityauthorization isissuedfora
maximumofsixyears.Doesthismeanthatthe
MemberStatescandecidetheperiodofvalidityof
theauthorizationprovideditisnotmorethansix
years?
3.Generalcomments—Inthesummaryoftheviewsoftheprofessional
organizations consulted,the'impactassessment
form'appendedtotheproposalstatesthatmarket
liberalizationwillimprovethecompetitiveposition
ofbusinessesandthatusersaregenerallyinfavour
oftheproposal.Hauliersandforwardersaremoder­
atelyfavourable .Someofthemareworriedabout
overcapacityandarelaxationintheobservanceof
rules.Itshouldalsobenotedthatnotallorganiza­
tionsrepresentingroad-haulage interestswere
approached .3.1.TheCommissionproposalappliesonlytopro­
fessionalroadhaulage.TheCommitteeconsidersthat
own-accounttransportshouldbetreatedinprecisely
thesameway.NorisitclearwhethertheRegulation
appliestoalllorriesoronlytolorrieswithaspecific
totalweightorcapacity.
—AsalreadynotedinthecommentsonArticle3
above,itisassumedthattheMemberStatesare
boundbytheprovisionsoftheRegulationasregards
theirownnationals.Thusinprincipletheycannot
laydownanyextrarules.Article8oftheRegu­
lation,however,allowsthemtoimposeadditional
conditionsincertainrespectswherethisisinthe
publicinterest.Thisraisesthequestionofwhat
theseconditionsmayconsistofandtowhatextent
theiruniformapplicationandsupervisioninthe
MemberStatescanbeguaranteed .
—Stringentconditionswouldseemtobeattachedto
theCommunityauthorization ,viz.acheckmustbe
madeeverythreeyearsonthequalitativerequire­—Whiletherewillnolongerbeanyquantitative
restrictionswithintheEC,accesstothemarketwill
besubjecttostrictcompliancewith(qualitative)
criteria.Theproposalrepresentsamajorstrength­
eningofthequalitativesystem,inparticularit
makesitpossibletoattachconditionsaffectingthe
generalinteresttotheissueofanauthorization .
Suchasystemstandsorfallsontheeffectivenessof
thecheckingprocedure.TheMemberStatesmust
ensurethatthesupervisoryauthoritiesareuptothe
job.Furthermore,theconsistentimplementation of
thesystemwillimposeaconsiderableextraburden
onindustry.Willitbepossibletoensurethatthe

NoC40/18 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 17.2.92
5.Conclusions
5.1.Althoughwellintentioned,theCommissionpro­
posalleavesmanyquestionsunansweredand,ifintro­
ducedinitspresentform,willinvolvealotofredtape.
TheCommitteeendorsesthecontentoftheproposal,
butisoftheviewthatsomeprovisionsaretoovaguely
wordedtoadequatelyensuretheiruniformapplication
inallMemberStates.rulesareimplementedinareasonablyuniformman­
nerinalltheMemberStates?Thatisthequestion.
4.Specificcomments
4.1.Article11(3),penultimateline
4.1.1.Insert'repeated'before'excessspeed'.
DoneatBrussels,27November1991.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
FrancoisSTAEDELIN
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilDirectiveonthefrequencybandstobedesignated
forthecoordinatedintroductionofdigitalshort-rangeradio(DSRR)intheCommunity (*)
(92/C40/10)
On23July1991theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,under
Article100AoftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforTransportandCommunications ,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingthe
Committee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon13November1991.TheRapporteur
wasMissBarrow.
Atits291stplenarysession(meetingof27November1991),theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedthefollowingOpinionunanimously .
neededtoensurethatthegreatestbenefitscanbe
derivedfromthefiniteresourcesoftheradiospectrum.1.Introduction
1.1.TheproposalforaCouncilDirectivewhichthe
EconomicandSocialCommitteehasbeenaskedto
considerdealswiththeharmonization offrequencies
fordigitalshort-rangeradio(DSRR)throughoutthe
Community .
1.2.Recentyearshaveseengreatgrowthinservices,
bothpublicandprivate,wishingtomakeuseofthe
radiospectrum.Efficientadministration and,inpar­
ticular,greatcareintheallocationoffrequenciesis1.3.Becausefrequenciesarealimitedresourceand
becausethereareagreatmanycompetingneedstouse
frequencies,bothmilitaryandcivil,publicandprivate,
itisclearthatharmonization offrequencyallocationon
aninternationallevelwillassistinensuringmaximum
efficiencyinexploitingtheradiospectrum.Theelimin­
ationofconflictingfrequencyallocationatadomestic
levelis,therefore,essential.Inaddition,theharmoniza­
tionoffrequencyallocationthroughouttheCommunity (!)OJNoC189,20.7.1991,p.14.