CELEX: 51975PC0188
Language: en
Date: 1975-04-30
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION on the opening of negotiations for an Agreement between the European Economic Community and non-member countries on arrangements for certain types of international combined road/rail carriage of goods (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

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COM (75) 188
Vol. 1975/0069
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EU3LOEHAN COMMUMII25
                                                             COM(75)188 final
                                                             Brussels , 30 April 1975
  I
                         PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
          on the opening of negotiations for an Agreement between the
              European Economic Community and non-member countries
                               on arrangements for
      certain types of international combined road/rail carriage of goods
                   ( submitted to the Council by the Commission)
    COM(75 ) 183 final
 ---pagebreak--- EXPLANATORY MEMDRAinXJM
1,         Tho Council Directive of 17 February 1975   established common
rules for certain types of combined, road/rail carriage of goods between
Member States and provided for freeing these types of carriage from all
quota systems and systems of authorization .
2«         The above-mentioned Directive , which is based on Article 75 of
the Treaty, had the effect of bringing combined road/rail carriage under
the common transport policy B
           It must be pointed out that on the one hand differences between
Community arrangements and, on the other , those applying to carriage
between Ilember States and non-member countries cause economic and in
some cases practical difficulties .
           The m?„in concern is that the international combined road/rail
carriage of goods in the Community should not be covered by different
arrangements depending on whether the route concerned lies wholly within
the Community or the operation    is carried out to or from the territory
of a non-member country .
           It must be stressed that differences in the degree to which
the types of carriage concerned are free from restrictions hamper the
development of an economically advantageous method of operation and
prevent the optimum use of terminal installations for which the investment
costs are comparatively high# However , to extend the process of
 OJ No L 43 , 22 February 1975» P * 31
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 2 -
liberalization advocated in the Directive of 17 February 1975 would be
an incentive for greater use to be made of this method , and would
make it possible to use the most suitable and nearest loading and
unloading stations irrespective of frontiers , resolve transit questions
likely to arise in this field , help to protect the environment and
also to enhance road safety by reducing traffic .
       In addition , the introduction of uniform , or at least
similar , control documents would simplify the carrying out of transport
operations and obviate a number of administrative restrictions .
3.     Furthermore it is . to be noted that Member States may not ,
either individually or collectively , enter into obligations with
non-member countries where these obligations would be likely to
affect the Community provisions in question . '
4*     Accordingly , negotiations should be opened with non-member
countries to which it is particularly worthwhile to extend the
Community provisions , either because of their geographical location
or because of the volume of their . traffic with Member States of the
Community. On the basis of these- criteria , negotiations would be
started with Austria, Greece , Norway , Portugal , Spain , Sweden ,
Switzerland , Turkey and Yugoslavia .                ' .
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 3 -
                     Proposal for a Council Decision
        on the opening of negotiations for an Agreement between
        the European Economic Community and non-member countries
            on arrangements for certain types of international
                    combined road/rail carriage of goods
TH3 COUNCIL OP THE] EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community
Having regard to the Commission .proposal ;
Whereas the Council Directive of 17 February 1975 established common
rules for certain types of combined road/rail carriage of goods between
Member States ;
Whereas combined carric,ge within the Community should not be subject to
different arrangements depending on whether the route concerned lies
wholly within the Community or between Member States and non-member
countries ;
Whereas it is desirable , because of the economic advantages of combined
road/rail carriage and its contribution to road safety, to provide an
incentive for greater use to be made of this method for the international
carriage of goods between Member States and non-member countries ;
whereas liberalizing measures , including the right of transit , will
further thi3 development ;
Wherea3 these objectives should be attained by the conclusion' of an
agreement between the Community and Austria, Greece , Norway, Portugal ,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Yugoslavia ;
Whereas it would be suitable to authorize the Commission toopen
appropriate negotiations ;
  OJ No L 43, 22 February 1975 »
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 4
DECIDES
                                  Article 1 '
                                      ■ ' ' * • t* « .       %
          The Commission is authorized to open negotiations with Austria,
Greece , Norway , Portugal , Spain, Sweden , Switzerland, Turkey and
Yugoslavia with a view to concluding an Agreement between the SEC and
these countries in order to establish uniform rules for the combined
road/rail carriage of goods from or to the territory of one of these
countries or , in cases where the territory of one of these non-member
countries is crossed in transit , between two Member States ,
                                  Article 2
          The Commission shall conduct the negotiations in accordance
•with the guidelines given in the Annex to this Decision ,
          These guidelines may be amended or added to by the Council ,
acting by , a qualified majority, on a proposal from the Commission ,
Done at Brus sel s ,                                   Por the Council
                                                        The Président
 ---pagebreak---                                                           ANMEX
1 , General objective
          Transport links between Member States on the one hand and the
non-member countries mentioned in Article 1 of this Decision on the
other should be the subject of measures based on the provisions of the
Council Directive of 17 February 1975     on the establishment of common
rules for certain types of combined road/rail carriage of goods between
Member States ,
2 , Concerted action
          Provision should be made for concerted action by the contracting
parties' representatives at the request of one of the parties whenever
a special need so requires .    These representatives could also review
the general operation of the Agreement and where appropriate make
proposals to amend it or add to it ,
3 , Period of validity of the Agreement ; extending this period
          '.The Agreement would run for a period of ten years . Unless the
Agreement is terminated by one of the contracting parties this period
would subsequently be extended automatically .
4 , Terminiting the Agreernent
          Hither contracting party should be able to terminate the
Agreement after consulting the other party in advance and giving due
notice .
  OJ No 2 48 , 22 February 1975 » P » 31#