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BackIn doing so, the Commission called a halt to the plan by EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas, to follow the call of the haulier lobby to allow the cross-border transport of particularly large and heavy HGVs (so-called Megatrucks or Gigaliners). Hence, the European Parliament affirms its commitment to shift transport from road to rail and clearly demonstrates that the approach adopted by the EU Transport Commissioner is simply unacceptable.
How it all began…
The discussions, to admit in addition to 40-ton HGVs also those up to 60 tons with an overall length of 25.25 meters, have been going on for some years. However, consultations by the Commission produced a clear result: based on a number of good reasons (referred to in AK Position Paper), Gigaliners were rejected by a clear majority.
In spite of this, EU Transport Commissioner Kallas, based on a request by the International Road Transport Union (IRU), decided to do without a revision and to simply reinterpret the existing Directive and to allow the cross-border use of Gigaliners. The debate with MEPs resulted in a “dressing-down” for Kallas. Even Gigaliner supporters were outraged that this should be possible without the co-decision of the European Parliament and the Council. Therefore, the Commission in the end presented a new Directive proposal after all - little surprising though in favour of cross-border journeys with Gigaliners.
Jörg Leichtfried (S&D), responsible rapporteur in the European Parliament, made a great effort to persuade supporters that no further opening for cross-border journeys by Gigaliners should be allowed. Hence, the discussions in the Committees were correspondingly controversial; supporters focussed in particular on the economic and environmental benefit of Gigaliners, whilst opponents criticised among other the economic effort (adjusting the infrastructure) and the impact on the environment (shift from rail to road).
Broad rejection of the Commission proposal in the Transport Committee
This week, the proposal was voted on in the Transport Committee. 35 representatives voted in favour of a rejection, four abstained and only two approved the proposal. In a compromise proposal, MEPs also requested that the Commission had to present an impact assessment before cross-border Gigaliner journeys were legalised. The decision by the Transport Committee must now be confirmed in the plenum of the European Parliament. This has been scheduled for mid-April.
The result of the vote is another important step towards shifting freight from road to rail and more road safety.
The discussions, to admit in addition to 40-ton HGVs also those up to 60 tons with an overall length of 25.25 meters, have been going on for some years. However, consultations by the Commission produced a clear result: based on a number of good reasons (referred to in AK Position Paper), Gigaliners were rejected by a clear majority.
In spite of this, EU Transport Commissioner Kallas, based on a request by the International Road Transport Union (IRU), decided to do without a revision and to simply reinterpret the existing Directive and to allow the cross-border use of Gigaliners. The debate with MEPs resulted in a “dressing-down” for Kallas. Even Gigaliner supporters were outraged that this should be possible without the co-decision of the European Parliament and the Council. Therefore, the Commission in the end presented a new Directive proposal after all - little surprising though in favour of cross-border journeys with Gigaliners.
Jörg Leichtfried (S&D), responsible rapporteur in the European Parliament, made a great effort to persuade supporters that no further opening for cross-border journeys by Gigaliners should be allowed. Hence, the discussions in the Committees were correspondingly controversial; supporters focussed in particular on the economic and environmental benefit of Gigaliners, whilst opponents criticised among other the economic effort (adjusting the infrastructure) and the impact on the environment (shift from rail to road).
Broad rejection of the Commission proposal in the Transport Committee
This week, the proposal was voted on in the Transport Committee. 35 representatives voted in favour of a rejection, four abstained and only two approved the proposal. In a compromise proposal, MEPs also requested that the Commission had to present an impact assessment before cross-border Gigaliner journeys were legalised. The decision by the Transport Committee must now be confirmed in the plenum of the European Parliament. This has been scheduled for mid-April.
The result of the vote is another important step towards shifting freight from road to rail and more road safety.