WRITTEN QUESTION E-1451/01 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Road transport of hazardous goods.
Date: 2001-05-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, road transport, transport of dangerous goods, transport regulations, transport safety

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/115

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(17 July 2001)

The new rules for the transport of dangerous goods are given in Commission Directives 2001/6/EC (1) and
2001/7/EC (2) for rail and road transport respectively and they came into force as of 1 July 2001 with
a delay of implementation until the end of year 2002. These directives are already published, but the
detailed technical requirements of their Annexes will be published as soon as they have been translated
into all the official languages of the Union.

These technical Annexes of nearly 1 000 pages each are nearly identical to the technical requirements of
international agreements, namely the European Agreement concerning International Carriage of Dangerous
Goods by Road under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ADR) and Regulations
concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID). Considering the size of the texts
and conscious of
the international agreements provide
18 months for the entry into force of the legislation. The same applies to the Community directives which
state that Member States are required to implement both texts at least by 31 December 2002 (except for
radioactive substances). Before that date the official Community translations will be available for all the
languages.

the problems generated by the translations,

In addition, irrespective of the availability of the text in Danish (or other languages of the Member States),
every Member State may decide to implement the new rules only on 31 December 2002 and on the other
hand, must accept until the 1 January 2003 on its territory the transport of dangerous goods, performed
using the rules in force before 1 July 2001. During the period between 1 July 2001 and 31 December
2002 both sets of rules may be applied. The situation is the same internationally with third countries when
using ADR and RID: there is the possibility to use either the (cid:145)old(cid:146) rules or the (cid:145)new(cid:146) rules. The safety of
transport is guaranteed both ways and the transition period does not cause legal uncertainty.

In any case the Commission would like to assure that the Danish text will be available at the same time as
the other language versions and this before the last date of
i.e.
31 December 2002.

implementation of the Directives,

(1) Commission Directive 2001/6/EC of 29 January 2001 adapting for the third time to technical progress Council
Directive 96/49/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States with regard to the transport of
dangerous goods by rail (OJ L 30, 1.2.2001).

(2) Commission Directive 2001/7/EC of 29 January 2001 adapting for the third time to technical progress Council
Directive 94/5/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States with regard to the transport of dangerous
goods by road (OJ L 30, 1.2.2001).

(2001/C 364 E/126)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1451/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Road transport of hazardous goods

(17 May 2001)

The Greek press reports that, although the law on road transport of hazardous goods entered into effect
a year ago, a large number of manufacturers and distributors of chemical products are in breach thereof
and hazardous loads are therefore being transported by road without the required special markings and
often with a disregard for safety measures.

The reasons put forward for these failings are:

(cid:129) the small-scale economic operation of most road haulage firms does not enable them to employ the

scientific staff (chemists) to assess the goods,

(cid:129) the lack of knowledge of police forces about the hazardous substances, and

(cid:129) the delay in training the staff of the National Centre for Chemical Products who are to help in carrying

out more systematic checks.

C 364 E/116

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

Has provision been made for any ancillary measures to assist road hauliers in adapting to the new
circumstances, to train police forces in the necessary specialist knowledge and to aid the General Chemical
Laboratory in identifying, sorting, classifying and registering hazardous goods transported by road?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2001)

The transport of dangerous goods by road in the Community is regulated by Council Directive 94/55/EC
of 21 November 1994 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States with regard to the
transport of dangerous goods by road (1), as amended, which introduced harmonised rules for the transport
of dangerous goods between the Member States as well as in national transport within the Member States.

In the context of Directive 94/55/EC and in order to further improve the level of safety in the transport of
dangerous goods and to ensure a sufficient level of checks to be carried out in a harmonised way, the
Council adopted on 6 October 1995 Directive 95/50/EC on uniform procedures for checks on the
transport of dangerous goods by road (2).

Furthermore an important role in the safety of transport of dangerous goods play the safety advisers,
appointed according to Council Directive 96/35/EC of 3 June 1996 on the appointment and vocational
qualification of safety advisers for the transport of dangerous goods by road, rail and inland waterway (3).

In Greece no national legislation on transport of dangerous goods existed prior to Community legislation.
The whole system of transport of dangerous goods was introduced in Greece with delays and there has
been infringement proceedings against Greece. Now most of the legislation is in force and its practical
implementation is on its way.

The Commission is aware of the complexity of the legislation and its enforcement and the resources
needed for it, but at the same time this is a matter for the Member States need to address. In fact, there are
no possibilities to this kind of specific actions in the limited transport safety budget.

On the other hand the Commission is confident that especially the recent implementation in Greece of
Directives 95/50/EC on road checks (4) and 96/35/EC on safety advisers (5) and the practical action
connected with them will in the near future improve the situation.

(1) OJ L 319, 12.12.1994.
(2) OJ L 249, 17.10.1995.
(3) OJ L 145, 19.6.1996, supplemented by Directive 2000/18/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 17 April
2000 on minimum examination requirements for safety advisers for the transport of dangerous goods by road, rail
or inland waterway (OJ L 118, 19.5.2000).
Implemented in Greece by Presidential Decree No 256/99 (Government Gazette I 209 of 11.10.1999).
Implemented in Greece by Joint Ministerial Decision No 64834-5491 on the transposition into Greek legislation of
Council Directive 96/35/EC of 3 August 1996 on the appointment and vocational qualification of safety advisers
for the transport of dangerous goods by road, rail and inland waterway, and Directive 2000/18/EC of 17 April
2000 on minimum examination requirements of these safety advisers, 13 October 2000.

(4)
(5)

(2001/C 364 E/127)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1455/01

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Studies grant

What support has the Commission given to the Institute for Transition Economics? From which budget
line? Which other institutes and establishments also received funds in the same year?