WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3036/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Charging of heavy goods vehicles
30. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 134/63 (98/C 134/78) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3036/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (1 October 1997) Subject: Charging of heavy goods vehicles With reference to the Proposal for a Council directive on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures (COM (96)0331 final › 96/0182 SYN) (1), the predominant approach towards fuel taxes in the European Union clearly owes more at present to fiscal policy than to transport policy since excise duties on fuel are and will continue to be a major source of revenue. Will the Commission eliminate all the inconsistencies between indirect taxes, which are the product of fiscal policy, and direct taxes charged to cover the use of infrastructures and external costs, which are the product of transport policy? (1) OJ C 59, 26. 2. 1997, p. 9. Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (12 November 1997) The Commission accepts that fuel excise duties are primarily used in Member States as a means of raising revenue. However, in its proposal for a directive restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products (1), the Commission has recognised that excise duty on motor fuels is also used by Member States to pursue other national environment, transport and energy policy objectives. The Commission also recognises the need for the direct and indirect charges that are imposed on individual road users in relation to their road use to be part of a coherent charging system. Consequently, a special restructuring provision has been made in the Commissionís recent proposal for a Council directive for the taxation of energy products which would allow Member States to apply levels of taxation on motor fuels lower than the minimum levels specified in this directive, in conjunction with the introduction or modification of specific charging systems for road transport that are related to the recovery of costs, such as infrastructure, congestion and environmental costs. (1) OJ C 139, 6. 5. 1997. (98/C 134/79) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3042/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (1 October 1997) Subject: White Paper on railways The Economic and Social Committee has issued an opinion on the White Paper: a strategy for revitalizing the Communityís railways (COM(96) 0421 final) (1). As regards old debts, improving the financial position and infrastructure, a key strategic element in the White Paperís push for liberalization of the railways is independent commercial management. An essential precondition for this and hence for compliance with Directive 91/440/EEC (2) on the development of the Communityís railways is the elimination of old debts. Will the Commission say whether progress on this has been incomplete and has varied from one Member State to another and whether it now intends to take prompt action? (1) OJ C 206, 7. 7. 1997, p. 23. (2) OJ L 237, 24. 8. 1991, p. 25