WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3075/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Council. Admission to the occupation of road haulage operator
C 134/72 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 4. 98 (98/C 134/92) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3075/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Council (2 October 1997) Subject: Admission to the occupation of road haulage operator This question concerns the proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 96/26/EC on admission to the occupation of road haulage operator and road passenger transport operator and mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications intended to facilitate for these operators the right to freedom of establishment in national and international transport operations (COM(97) 25 final › 97/0029 SYN) (1). The proposal is designed to continue the process of harmonizing the requirements for admission to the occupation of road haulage operator and strengthen the road transport market. Attention should be drawn to the growing involvement of haulage operators in bilateral commerce concerning goods and passengers between the Member States and the CEECs. In a spirit of harmonization, an objective which continues to be pursued in the EU, and in order to avoid practices which may lead to distortions of competition and promote equal conditions for all, can the Council examine, as a matter of urgency, the possibility of extending the influence of the Directive to road haulage operators in the CEECs involved in bilateral commerce with the Member States? (1) OJ C 95, 24. 3. 1997, p. 66. Answer (15 January 1998) During discussions held with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe within the structured dialogue set up to prepare those countries for accession to the Community, the Council emphasized the need for them to prepare themselves actively for taking on the áacquis communautaireí in all its aspects (technical, social, safety and others). With particular regard to Directive 96/26/EC to which the Honourable Member refers, eight associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe have notified the Commission of their intention to bring their legislation into line with that Directive on 1 January 1998 (1). (1) See reply given by the Commission on 17 November 1997 to Mr AMADEOís Written Question No E-3076/97. (98/C 134/93) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3076/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (2 October 1997) Subject: Admission to the occupation of road haulage operator This question concerns the proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 96/26/EC on admission to the occupation of road haulage operator and road passenger transport operator and mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications intended to facilitate for these operators the right to freedom of establishment in national and international transport operations (COM(97) 25 final › 97/0029 SYN) (1). The proposal is designed to continue the process of harmonizing the requirements for admission to the occupation of road haulage operator and strengthen the road transport market. Attention should be drawn to the growing involvement of haulage operators in bilateral commerce concerning goods and passengers between the Member States and the CEECs. In a spirit of harmonization, an objective which continues to be pursued in the EU, and in order to avoid practices which may lead to distortions of competition and promote equal conditions for all, can the Commission examine, as a matter of urgency, the possibility of extending the influence of the Directive to road haulage operators in the CEECs involved in bilateral commerce with the Member States? (1) OJ C 95, 24. 3. 1997, p. 66