WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1749/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Delays in road transport to Turkey
Date: 1997-05-27
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: Greece, Türkiye, carriage of goods, competence of the Member States, competitiveness, customs inspection, discrimination on the basis of nationality, import licence, road transport, transport regulations

25. 2. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 60/41

(cid:145)As a general rule, where applicants or drivers suffer from any disorder which is not mentioned in the preceding
paragraphs but is liable to be, or to result in, a functional incapacity affecting safety at the wheel, driving licences
shall  not  be  issued  or  renewed  unless  the  application  is  supported  by  authorized  medical  opinion  and,  if
necessary, subject to regular medical check-ups(cid:146).

The Commission has no specific information on the way this particular medical disturbance is tackled by

2.
the different Member States.

(1)  OJ L 237, 24.8.1991.

(98/C 60/67)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1749/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(27 May 1997)

Subject: Delays in road transport to Turkey

The Greek press reports that there have been long delays in recent months for lorries crossing into Turkey.  A
particularly elaborate system for inspecting incoming products and checking Greek lorries at customs is being
used, costing them time and money.

In  contrast,  Turkish  international  transport  crosses  into  Greece  without  being  held  up  at  the  border  and,
moreover,  the  1000  tax-free  permits  which  the  Turks  requested  from  the  Greek  authorities  were  issued
immediately without creating problems.

What  is  the  Commission(cid:146)s  position  on  this  matter  and  what  action  will  it  take  to  make  clear  to  the  Turkish
authorities  that  it  will  not  allow  them  to  discriminate  against  Greek  hauliers  and  thereby  undermine  their
competitiveness?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 1997)

The resolution on the broadening of cooperation between Turkey and the Community adopted by the Association
Council on 6 March 1995 foresees the strengthening of cooperation in transport, including transit and market
access.  However,  the  situation  relating  to  financial  cooperation  has  not  yet  enabled  the  Commission  to  start
taking initiatives on this issue.

Until now the Commission has not been aware of reports of delays specifically involving Greek vehicles entering
Turkey. In the absence of a relevant agreement between the Community and Turkey on road goods transport, the
regulation  of  traffic  between  Greece  and  Turkey  is  a  matter  for  the  two  countries  concerned,  subject  to
compliance with the relevant international rules.

The Commission will contact the Greek authorities to seek further information on this issue, in order to decide
what steps should be taken to overcome any problems of discrimination.

(98/C 60/68)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1760/97

by Florus Wijsenbeek (ELDR) to the Commission

(27 May 1997)

Subject: French experiments with longer vehicles

Is  the  Commission  aware  that  the  French  government  is  investigating,  in  anticipation  of  the  introduction  of
Directive 96/53 (1) on weights and dimensions, whether longer vehicles can be permitted in initial and terminal
road haulage in combined transport? What it involves is the transport of two 8.15 metres swap bodies. Is the
Commission also aware that experiments are currently being carried out in the Netherlands with freight vehicles
of 4 TEU?