§ Mr. Bob Dunnasked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement on rail and road matters discussed at the Council of Transport Ministers of the EEC which met on Thursday 6 December.
§ Mr. FowlerThe Council agreed a package of proposals on road haulage within the Community which mark a further step towards the liberalisation the United Kingdom has always pressed for. Most important to the United Kingdom, the Council adopted a regulation to increase the Community road haulage quota by 20 per cent. Other measures included a regulation to allow short-term Community quota permits; a directive which will liberalise own account road freight transport between member States and a decision on bilateral quota negotiations.
The United Kingdom also welcomed the Commission's statement on EEC aid for transport infrastructure, while noting that there were still some problems to be resolved. The Council agreed the Commission's second biennial report on the economic and financial state of the railways and took note of its report on railway integration.
The Commission also made a statement on the railways and a brief general statement which included summer time, vehicle taxation, driving licences and market observation.