HC Deb 15 February 1994 vol 237 cc726-7W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made in negotiations relating to acceptance by the EU of the hazchem label; and if he will make a detailed statement.

Mr. Key

The European Commission's published proposal—COM(93) 548—for a Council directive to apply the provisions of the European agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road, ADR, to domestic transport includes a provision which would allow the continued use of existing emergency acton codes for domestic journeys until an internationally agreed code is developed. This would allow the continued use of the hazchem placard in the United Kingdom and the Commission is known to favour this as the basis for a new international code.

Consideration of the proposed directive has begun under the Greek Presidency. We shall seek to ensure that the proposed derogation is retained in the final agreed text.