Reply to the Fourth Report of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport

Resolution 146 (1958)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

a) Question introduced on 30th March 1958 by the tabling of the Report of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport,Doc. 796.<br>(b) 31st March 1958, tabling of the report of the Economic Committee,Doc. 797.<br>(c) 30th April 1958, debate in the Assembly (see 4th Sitting of the 10th Session). The Resolution was adopted unanimously.

1. The Consultative Assembly has examined with great interest the Fourth Report of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport. It is particularly gratified to see that careful consideration has been given to the comments and suggestions made by the Consultative Assembly in reply to the Third Report of the E.C.M.T. The Assembly has also studied with great interest Reports Nos. VI (Resolution of the Council of Ministers of 23rd -24th October 1957) and VII (Resolution on Prospects for the trend of Transport in the period 1956-1960 and on the influence of that trend on investment).

2. The Assembly is pleased to see that the E.C.M.T. is prepared to establish the closest co-operation with the European Economic Community and would be grateful to have in the next report full details of the arrangements made, particularly as they affect the instituting of a common transport policy and the need to avoid duplication of work and waste of specialists. The Assembly also welcomes the setting up of a joint group with the O.E.E.C. to study appropriate steps in the field of transport in relation to the establishment of a Free Trade Area. Since the question of co-operation between the E.C.M.T., the European Commission of the E.E.C., and the High Authority of the E.C.S.C., will become even more important as and when a Free Trade Area is established, the Assembly draws attention to paragraph 3 of the Explanatory Memorandum in Document 797 and would like to hear, in due course, of any particular proposals which the E.C.M.T. makes in this connection.

3. The Assembly welcomes the continued co-operation between the E.C.M.T. and the competent international governmental organisations, as well as the close association of non-governmental organisations with the work of the Committee of Deputies and its subsidiary bodies. Having regard, however, to one or two of the representations made in the communications of non-governmental organisations to the E.C.M.T., the Assembly hopes that this co-operation will be still further developed so that the widest use is made of the experience of these organisations.

4. The Assembly recalls that, in its Reply to the Third Report of the E.C.M.T., it urged the Conference to develop a real transport policy, particularly in regard to investment. It welcomes the facts and figures assembled in the above-mentioned Report No. VII, but again draws the attention of the E.C.M.T. to the fact that, in the long run, such a policy can only be developed on the basis of sound statistics. The Assembly proposes therefore that the E.C.M.T. should make a vigorous effort, together with the Conference of European Statisticians in Geneva and the relevant departments of national civil services, to institute a comparative statistical study for all types of transport in the ECMT countries, and to prepare common rules for collecting and publishing transport statistics.

5. The Assembly wishes to make the following comments on questions affecting particular branches of transport.

Railways

6. The Assembly is gratified to learn of the numerous measures taken by member countries to give effect to Resolution No. 10 on the financial situation of the railways, adopted by the E.C.M.T. in May 1957. The Assembly proposes that a special survey of the policies adopted by the Dutch railways be made, as a useful source of suggestions for railway administrations in other member countries.

7. The Assembly welcomes the first report of Eurofima and the fact that sixteen countries have now signed the Convention establishing it. The Assembly strongly urges those Member Governments which have not ratified the Convention to do so at the earliest possible moment in order to enable Eurofima to establish its activities on a permanent basis. It calls upon the members of the delegations to the Consultative Assembly of the countries concerned (Austria, Belgium, France and Italy) to take action in their national parliaments to bring about ratification as soon as possible.

8. The Assembly hopes that the Ministers of Transport of other member countries concerned will do their utmost to make Euro-fima's work effective, in particular by ensuring that their railway administrations refrain from ordering special types of rolling-stock without prior consultation, in order to enable large-scale standard orders to be placed. These suggestions would apply, in particular, to orders for diesel locomotives. The Assembly would be interested to learn in the next ECMT Report of any special difficulties that arise on this score in the course of the coming year.

9. The Assembly welcomes the recent introduction of the Trans-Europ express trains. It hopes that more trains of this type will be introduced and that particular attention will be paid to the improvement of communications with the cities where European institutions are located.

Road Transport

10. The Assembly congratulates the Conference on the considerable increase in the number of "restricted groups", and especially on the restricted group created between Greece, Turkey and Yugoslavia, having regard to the importance of facilitating communications in Southern Europe. For this reason the Assembly feels also that the system of bilateral co-ordination of road construction, including development of frontier crossing facilities, should be further extended. Highways connecting France, Switzerland and Austria with Italy include the main traffic arteries between Northern and Southern Europe, and could certainly be further improved. The Assembly would be interested to learn if special provisions are made for joint financing of any scheme set up by a "restricted group".

11. The Assembly regrets that no significant progress appears to have been made on the problems of weight, dimensions, pay-load and speed of road vehicles. It seems that decisions are to be postponed until 1960 when the results of the United States road tests are known. The Assembly feels that it should be possible with advantage to carry out similar tests in Europe and would like to hear whether in this way more progress could be made before 1960 or, at least, if valuable supplementary data could not be made available in this way to support those obtained in the United States.

12. The Assembly is grateful for the information given concerning a European Highway Code and is glad to hear that studies concerning regulations on equipment of road vehicles and on further road signs are already under way. The Assembly would ask the Conference to recommend that member countries should make further efforts to obtain still greater unification of rules. Having regard to the enormous growth of road traffic in Western Europe, the Assembly feels that this is a field in which unification is of the greatest possible importance; it accordingly recommends that Representatives from all national delegations should follow these matters up in national parliaments and press for positive action.

13. The Assembly fully agrees with the E.C.M.T. that the failure of improvement and equipment of roads to keep up with the increase in traffic is a matter of grave concern. It urges the Conference to do everything possible to increase road investment in member countries and would be glad to learn of any particular problems which the Conference feels that Assembly Representatives could usefully consider, particularly in national parliaments.

Inland Waterways

14. The Assembly is pleased to see the progress thatis being made in the E.C.M.T.'s work on the coordination of inland waterways' freight rates, and hopes that the Conference will be able in the near future to follow up the work of the E.C.S.C. and reach an agreement on freight rates and transport conditions for goods other than coal and steel on the Rhine.

15. The Assembly hopes that the Governments, and in particular the Netherlands Government, will make another effort to reach a general agreement on the Convention on International Regulations on Waterways to the west of the Rhine.

Other Questions

16. The Assembly welcomes the help offered by the E.C.M.T. to the Channel Tunnel Study Group, and would be interested to learn whether the Governments did in fact furnish the information requested, as also to have details of particular matters in which help is subsequently to be given.

17. The Assembly notes that the Tourism Committee of the O.E.E.C. has been invited to bring up specific points towards which cooperation between the two bodies might be directed, and the Assembly looks forward to having fuller information on developments here.