WRITTEN QUESTION No. 89/98 by Carlos ROBLES PIQUER to the Commission. Alternatives to road transport for Spanish fruit and vegetables
Date: 1998-01-30
Institutions: European Parliament, ROBLES PIQUER
Subjects: France, Spain, carriage of goods, fruit, perishable goods, road transport, strike, vegetable













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91998E0089

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 89/98 by Carlos ROBLES PIQUER to the Commission. Alternatives to road transport for Spanish fruit and vegetables  


Official Journal C 310 , 09/10/1998 P. 0020 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-0089/98 by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Commission (30 January 1998)Subject: Alternatives to road transport for Spanish fruit and vegetablesThe mere threat of French roads being blockaded by striking French transport workers is enough to cause the price of certain Spanish fruits and vegetables to be halved, thus acting as a death sentence for these perishable products from Spain.There is therefore a need to find a permanent alternative to road transport to ensure that the threat of strike action does not continue to have the catastrophic effect it has already had for the agricultural sector in Spain and in other Member States.Would the Commission be willing to assist in the creation of a permanent alternative system for the transport of fruit and vegetables from Spain to the central and northern regions of the European Union during French transport strikes, for example using roll-on roll-off ferries to transport lorries?Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (17 April 1998)The Commission is aware of the serious difficulties experienced by Spanish exporters during certain industrial disputes in France. While the Community is not in a position economically or legally to support the development of alternative transport systems as a response to strikes the common transport policy aims at the wider development of a European intermodal transport system which will provide alternative transport choices for shippers and producers at all times. In the case of freight, such a transport system should encompass road, rail, combined transport, inland waterway and maritime services.Building on the achievements of the single market, the Commission has pursued a policy to promote modes of transport that provide a sustainable alternative to road transport. In the case of the Iberian peninsula, the Commission considers alternative services such as short sea shipping and combined transport services to be particularly relevant. In its recent proposal ((COM(97) 681 final. )) for a Parliament and Council Decision modifying Decision No 1692/96/EC ((OJ L 228, 9.9.1996. )) concerning maritime ports, inland ports and intermodal terminals,the Commission proposed a modification which would include a new priority project on a 'Multimodal link between Portugal and Spain and the rest of Europe'. The Commission has also supported, through the Pilot Action for Combined Transport (PACT) programme, the launching of innovative combined transport services between Spain and the rest of the Community, including funding of investment at the Irun and Hendaye and the Port Bou intermodal platforms. In addition the PACT programme is supporting a feasibility study for the setting up of an intermodal ports network in Spain, France, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. Finally, a rail freightway will be established shortly between the north of Spain and the existing French freightway to facilitate the provision of new international rail services.