WRITTEN QUESTION E-0886/04 by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Road toll system.
Date: 2004-03-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common transport policy, proposal (EU), road transport, toll

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/901

(2004/C 84 E/0995)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0886/04

by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 March 2004)

Subject: Road toll system

The proposal for a new EU road toll system for heavy goods vehicles came to nothing on account of
disputes between the EU’s peripheral states and transit states.

Strict Community rules ought to be adopted regarding road tolls for HGVs instead of numerous disparate
practices, and the system should not leave any scope for interpretation.

It has been suggested in the media that the failure of the proposal may mean a delay of at least a year
before any decision is taken. Yet when the new Member States join the EU on 1 May, the situation on
Europe’s roads will only become more difficult unless rules enter into force this spring.

Now that the proposal has failed, how does the Commission intend to proceed in order as soon as possible
to put an end to the present free-for-all regarding tolls?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

As the Honourable Member suggests in her written question, the common rules on charging HGVs for the
use of road infrastructure (1) ought to be tightened. What is at stake is the smooth operation of the internal
market.

At the Transport Council of 9 March 2004 the Member States failed to reach political agreement on the
text of the future directive, due notably to differences of opinion on the principle of the Commission’s
proposal that revenue from charging must be allocated to the transport sector. However, it cannot be said,
at this stage in the discussions, that the proposal has failed. With regard to the Council, the Irish
Presidency and the Commission are doing all they can to secure political agreement on this dossier as soon
as possible. Meanwhile, on 21 April 2004 Parliament adopted an opinion at
first reading on the
Commission’s proposal.

(1) Directive 1999/62/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 1999 on the charging of heavy

goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures, OJ L 187, 20.7.1999.

(2004/C 84 E/0996)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0888/04

by Bob van den Bos (ELDR) to the Commission

(22 March 2004)

Subject: Slaughterhouses in Greece

In the conclusions of a report by the Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) on a mission it
undertook to Greece in July 2003, reference is made to the fact that many Greek slaughterhouses still
demonstrate serious shortcomings as regards compliance with EU requirements. Although the competent
authorities have provided the Commission services with guarantees that they will complete planned
actions, the FVO inspectors still found deficiencies in administrative structures, operational standards and
in animal welfare and veterinary supervision.

Can the Commission say what action it will take, or has already taken, to improve the situation of
slaughterhouses in Greece? Does this action include sanctions? If so, what are they, and when will it
impose them?