§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on road and rail matters discussed at the Council of Transport Ministers of the EEC which met on 12th June 1978.
§ Mr. William RodgersThe Council adopted a proposal for a regulation laying down uniform costing principles for international goods transport carried in full train loads, and noted a Commission report on progress achieved in the preparation of a programme of co-operation among Community railways. It approved in principle a directive on the adjustment of national taxation systems for commercial road vehicles and the terms of a statement on the introduction in Austria, as from 1st July, of a tax on road goods transport proceeding to and 695W through that country. The Council took note of the Commission's intention to carry out a three-year experiment in monitoring traffic between the freight markets of member States, and agreed that the directive on combined road-rail transport, at present in force for an experimental period, should be made permanent. There was an exchange of views on a number of other issues.