asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the specific matters of immediate concern to Ireland which were finally decided rather than discussed at the Transport Ministers' meeting in Brussels on 8 and 9 December 1988.
Written Answers - EC Decisions Implications.
13.
The Agenda for the Council of EC Transport Ministers on 8/9 December 1988 included several proposals of immediate interest to Ireland, particularly having regard to the Single Market 1992 objectives. I would like to take this opportunity of making a brief report on the outcome of the Council generally.
Financial assistance from the Community Budgets for 1988 and 1989 was approved for a number of transport infrastructure projects in member states, including the northern cross route section of the proposed Dublin ring road. The total appropriations for transport infrastructure in the 1988 and 1989 Community budgets amount to 120 MECU or £93m. The amounts of aid for the projects in the various member states will be decided by the Commission very shortly and a regulation giving effect to the agreement reached will be on the agenda of the Internal Market Council on 21 December for formal adoption. The Council also formally adopted a Council Resolution on the extension of the system for observing the markets for the carriage of goods by rail, coach and inland waterways between Member States.
Formal agreement was also recorded on a Fifth Council directive on summertime arrangements which fixes the dates of commencement and termination of Summertime for the three year period 1990-92. The Directive takes account of of the position of Ireland and the UK who are given the option of aligning the end of their summertime periods (fixed for end October) with the dates laid down for the other ten member states (fixed for end September) during any of the years in question.
The Council meeting on 8/9 December reached agreement on the establishment of a mandate for the European Commission relating to the elimination of restrictions on Community road transit through Austria, Switzerland and Yugoslavia. These three countries are concerned about the volume of road freight transport through their territories and restrictions which they impose include taxes on visiting lorries, licence quotas, vehicle laden weight limits which are considerably lower than the Community limits, and bans on night driving. The aim of the negotiations now about to commence is to establish with each of the three transit countries a global agreement based on the principle of reciprocity, bearing in mind the need for protection of the environment and road safety. With 1992 on the horizon the elimination of the existing restrictions on free transit through the three countries in question would be of considerable benefit to Irish road hauliers.
While not finally decided, considerable progress was made at the Council on Commission proposals relating to the criteria for access to the profession of road haulage operator, maximum laden weight limits for 2, 3 and 4 axle vehicles and the liberalisation of the international road passenger market. Some further work is necessary on these proposals in the council's subordinate bodies and the incoming Spanish Presidency will be giving a high degree of priority to these and also to Commission proposals for opening up national road freight transport markets to non-residents.