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Mr. Alvaro Teixeira,
President of ANTRAM Board Direction,
Lisbon, Portugal
Dear Madam, Dear Sir,
On behalf of ANTRAM, it is with great pleasure that I
welcome you to Lisbon and to the 5th IRU Symposium of Lawyers, which
we are hosting with great satisfaction.
IRU has used us to these initiatives in favour of the
development of road transport and this Symposium is an example that there is no
exception in the works fronts, which IRU dedicates enthusiastically.
Despite all counter-arguments, road transport is the
privileged mean for goods transportation. It is fast, direct, and independent of
schedules though respectful of workers' rights, it provides a door-to-door
service, has reliable security rules, and respects the environment. In a word,
it is reliable.
All these are qualities that provide road transport
with the advantages of an incomparable service and, therefore, make it the
preferred mode for those who use it as a way of life. As such, it also becomes a
subject of intense discussion, where theoreticians tend to underline possible
drawbacks resulting from it, trying to limit, by legal means, the freedom of
action and reduce the part of road transport in commercial
transactions.
Road transport operators are aware of those interests
that move against them and use them to find even more stimulation to improve
their offer and activities.
The recent European Union enlargement is an example.
Without the full co-operation of the road transport industry, it will be
impossible, in the short term to obtain, the desired integration of new member
states, as happened before with the 6, 12 and finally the 15
countries.
It is therefore to you, EU lawyers that we turn to,
in the hope for a harmonized regulation that will allow equal circumstances for
all road transport operators everywhere in the European Union.
And do not forget intermodality, which we strongly
support. But before, we need to make sure that the mode of transport road by is
free to join, without discrimination, the integrated transport chain.
The new technologies used in contractual
relationships are the priority of today's meeting. Don't forget that a good
contract, be it electronic or traditional, will only be used when it can be
fulfilled correctly.
Encourage better, faster and simpler practices, to be
included in transport contracts. But don't forget in your countries and in
Brussels, to fight with us and defend the interests of our profession, reinforce
its rights and promote the recognition of the specific conditions of our
work.
As a regional representative, I could equally mention
our difficulties and the high costs we support, as a result of this. Others
among you will be aware of other regional specificities in Portugal, with
different characteristics, but equally penalized.
To be equal for all, the law must result from a
process of interest conciliation. It is a difficult task given the European
diversity. However, we'd better face it and overcome this hurdle rather than
ignore it and sacrifice our benefits to others.
Dear lawyers, I moved away from today's subject. I
spoke as a road transport operator. I wish to apologise for that and on behalf
of ANTRAM, I'd like to wish this meeting all success.
Have a good stay in Portugal.
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