March 03, 2009
The “12 days” must remain practicable
The IRU calls upon EU Member States to stop adding further conditions to the future 12-day derogation for international coach tourism and urges them to consider a 12-day derogation that permits more than one service.
Brussels - The International Road Transport Union (IRU), representing the European coach industry, is deeply concerned by the turn discussions are taking in the Council of Ministers Working Group on Land Transport, with some individual Member States constantly adding new conditions for the future implementation of the 12-day derogation for international EU coach tourism.
Whilst welcoming the general change of spirit in Council under the Czech Presidency and the increasingly large majority supporting the 12-day derogation, the IRU warns that a derogation with additional conditions, on top of those stipulated by the European social partners’ agreement, will dramatically devalue the future derogation and deter many operators from even considering to use it.
Graham Smith, President of the IRU Passenger Transport Council, said : ‘’Whereas the US Union of Concerned Scientists recommends to all travellers to use coaches as the greenest travel option of all, a couple of EU Member States’ authorities keep making the future 12-day derogation – the centre-piece of the European coach tourism model - less and less attractive. By doing so, they also decrease road safety in Europe, since a more rigid 12-day derogation means less coach travel and more private cars that present much higher casualty rates. Where is the political logic in that? We are extremely disappointed, especially in these times of acute economic crisis, when our regulators show so little appreciation of public, environmental and industrial needs.”
The IRU reiterates its call upon the European Parliament and the Council to adopt a 12-day derogation for international coach tourism which permits several services adding up to 12 days.
The IRU also calls upon the European institutions to ensure that the derogation, which should reflect the agreement reached earlier by the social partners, enters into force immediately upon publication in the Official Journal of the EC.
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See petition signed by some 20,000 drivers and operators
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