§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what initiatives have been taken by the Council of Ministers, or Commission of the European Community, concerning the desirability and practicality of requiring registration, under commonly agreed conditions, of road haulage firms within the Community licensed to carry goods on surface or sub-surface routes across the sea between the United Kingdom and other member states of the European Community, other than the Republic of Ireland. [128851]
§ Mr. HillA system of registration already exists. Since the entry into force of Council Regulation (EEC) 881–92 on 1 January 1993, hauliers seeking to operate internationally within the Community must be in possession of a Community Authorisation certificate as issued by the licensing authorities in the country in which they are established. This applies to heavy goods vehicle traffic to and from the Irish Republic as well as to haulage operations on mainland Europe.