WRITTEN QUESTION No. 184/98 by Jonas SJÖSTEDT to the Commission. Carriage of lorries and trailers by rail
9. 10. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 310/35 The Commission is not aware that the application of the above mentioned provision has led to difficulties in Belgium. However, the Commission is ready to study this case and to contact the authorities in Belgium. The Commission would, therefore, welcome further information from the Honourable Member on this matter. (1) OJ L 319, 12. 12. 1994. (2) OJ L 335, 24. 12. 1996. (98/C 310/41) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0184/98 by Jonas Sjo¤stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (5 February 1998) Subject: Carriage of lorries and trailers by rail There is great scope for saving money and reducing emissions by carrying entire goods vehicles by rail over long distances. Systems have now been developed for carrying lorries, trailers and their loads on special rail trucks. Does the EU give any kind of aid for this type of project? Does the EU have any plans for supporting technical developments in this field? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (27 March 1998) The Community pursues an active policy of increasing the competitiveness and efficiency of combined transport. As part of this policy the Commission has been supporting Pilot Actions for Combined Transport since 1992. The PACT programme provides a limited financial grant from the Community for innovations, which improve the competitiveness of international combined transport. Furthermore, the Community provides funding for intermodal research and development activities in the fourth framework programme (Parliament and Council Decision No 1110/94/EC (1)). In general, the Commission notes that accompanied combined transport (rolling road), as currently practised, is often considered not to be economically viable on its own. It is conducted for environmental reasons or for reducing congestion on certain axes, especially through mountainous regions. Detailed consideration of this and other features of intermodal transport was given in the 1997 White Paper Intermodality and Intermodal Freight transport in the European Unioní (2). For the time being, rolling road technology or operations are not funded financially by the Community within the above-mentioned programmes. However, the Commission would welcome relevant technological and econom- ical development in this area in order to help to make the rolling road an economically viable option. If projects aiming at this objective fulfil the criteria of the programmes such as PACT or the specific tasks in the intermodal R&D programmes, they could be eligible for Community funding. (1) OJ L 126, 18. 5. 1994. (2) COM(97) 243 final. (98/C 310/42) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0188/98 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission (5 February 1998) Subject: Taxi licences The principle of free competition embodied by the large-scale single market threatens to penalize a whole range of professional activities whose specific characteristics are not being safeguarded. One example is taxi drivers, especially in countries which, like Luxembourg, do not have big cities