TRANSPORT

Passengers on low-cost airline Ryanair face higher prices after the European Commission ruled that discounts received by the airline from its hub in Charleroi were illegal. Ryanair slammed the decision as "bizarre" and a "meaningless interference in the free market". (EUobserver.com 4/2/04 )

The EU is planning a massive network of speed cameras across the Continent,  the Mail on Sunday can reveal.  Britain already has 5,000 but could be ORDERED to install  more if it fails to meet safety targets set by EU transport commissioner  Loyola d Palacio.)  She wants to halve Europe 's annual road death toll of 40,000 by 2010 and  has called for an even greater network if sophisticated electronic devices  with speed offenders and drink drivers facing prosecution in any EU  country - even as visitors - as part of a pan-European enforcement plan.   Britain already has one of the toughest enforcement regimes in Europe and  it is feared efforts to reduce death rates, inflated by bad driving on the  Continent, will see British motorists being unfairly targeted.  Labour transport committee chairman described the plan as "all embracing  rubbish" but Richard Brunstrom head of road policing for  the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "We are going to be leaders  in this". (Mail on Sunday 11/1/04 )

The world-famous Swedish balloonist Per Lindstrand faced disaster when certification of the giant tethered balloons or "aerostats" he makes in Oswestry, Shropshire , passed from the UK 's Civil Aviation Authority to the new European Aviation Safety Agency. It turned out that the new rules for certifying aerostats were being drawn up by his only competitor, a Franco-German firm, Aerophile. Until these were approved, he would not be able to sell his aerostats, worth £500,000 each, anywhere in the EU. Three months later, Mr Lindstrand is still waiting. (Sunday Telegraph, C Booker, 28/12/2003 )

Another EC directive unwittingly threatens the survival of Britain 's only scheduled helicopter service, to the Scilly Isles. Thanks to behind-the-scenes lobbying by Dr Richard North, a senior researcher in the European Parliament, the Commission was so alarmed by this unintended consequence of its edict that, in the autumn, the Scilly helicopter service was exempted. (Sunday Telegraph, C Booker, 28/12/2003 )

European bureaucrats want every motorist across the continent to drive with their headlights on at all times, 

it has emerged. The plan has been floated by the European Commission as a safety measure, but was lambasted by 

politicians across the political spectrum last night as a waste of time and money. (EU update 
17/11/03) Research shows this has no safety effect in towns but has some effect in the country - Ed

When Graham Colover, a London businessman, tried to make safety  modifications to the Piper Twin Comanche light aircraft that he jointly  owns with two friends at Biggin Hill in Kent , they found themselves among  the first victims of the great EU power-grab.  All the changes they wish to make - brighter landing lights, more  streamlined engine cowls, a better electrical system - have already been  approved by the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA). Until two months ago  getting UK approval from the expert officials of Britain 's Civil Aviation  Authority (CAA) would have been routine, taking a few days.  But on September 28, the CAA was reduced to the status of a mere branch  office of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) when it took charge of  all EU aviation safety regulation.  Mr Colover was told he would now have to get permission from an EASA office  in Rome , to which had been allocated all certification powers over Piper  Twin Comanches, even though Italy has few aircraft of this type. The  nightmare began when it became clear that, although the Italian officials  knew nothing about Twin Comanches, they refused to deal with the  manufacturers or the CAA and would talk only to their increasingly bemused  counterparts in the American FAA.  Despite the CAA trying to help, e-mails and messages to the EASA in Rome  and Brussels went unanswered. The officials in Rome are unable even to say  how much certification will cost, until they know how much work will be  involved. This is why the parts that would improve the safety and  performance of Mr Colover's aircraft are still sitting on a shelf in Biggin  Hill.  Mr Colover says he has nothing but praise for the Department for Transport  in London . The UK government is lobbying alongside Germany , Sweden and   France to get the power of approving minor modifications handed back to  national agencies. But one of the cardinal rules of the EU's supranational  system is that power can only ever be transmitted in one direction: from  nation states to the centre. Mr Colover may be waiting to improve his  aircraft's safety for some time to come. (Sunday Telegraph Christopher Booker's Notebook   21/12/2003 )

The future of cheap flights to Europe was in severe doubt yesterday after Ryanair said it expected many of the discounts it enjoys on airport charges to be declared unlawful.  The airline's 18-destination French network was under particular threat as a result of a ruling by the European Commission that incentives airports have offered to Ryanair constitute illegal state aid. Routes could be cut before next summer.  More than two million passengers have flown between the operator's Stansted base and the French regions this year, many visiting holiday homes bought by Britons on the strength of the air link. (EU update 17/11/03 )

Smart cards and digital signatures are to be introduced in heavy goods  vehicles and buses by next summer, to comply with new EU rules designed to  ensure that drivers are keeping within the law.    The UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will implement a  high-tech tachograph system to monitor the speeds and distances of heavy  goods vehicles and buses. All new commercial road haulage systems must be  fitted with the system from the summer of 2004.    RSA Security, the IT firm supplying the digital certificate management  software behind the system, claims it will be accurate and secure enough  to be used in court action against drivers or firms whose vehicles exceed  legal limits on speed or journey distance.    "Digital signatures will be used to sign data exchanges and guarantee the  validity of the information - which includes details of the driver, hours  driven, rest periods, distance and speed traveled - in the event that the  electronic records are presented to courts for the prosecution of drivers'  hours infringements," said RSA, in a statement.    The European Union has demanding that all member states implement  high-tech tachographs by next summer, in an attempt to improve road  safety, compliance with transport legislation and fair competition between  haulage firms. The UK system will integrate motion sensors within the  vehicle with the digital smartcard reader.    According to Jason Lewis, vice president of product management and  marketing at RSA Security, the smart card system is a "real and practical  application of public key infrastructure (PKI) technology." (Silicon.com 25-10-03 )

The Commission proposed today to revamp European rules on driving licenses which are held by around 200 million citizens in the Union . The aim is to combine greater freedom of movement, stricter anti-fraud measures and increased road safety to the benefit of all European road users. The new draft Directive thus proposes: * to generalise the plastic card type model of European license. This model allows for higher protection against fraud. Current paper driving licenses will not be exchanged but will stop being issued from the date of application of the new legislation. Member States who so wish are allowed to equip the new driving licenses with a microchip including the information printed on the card to reinforce further anti-fraud protection. The use of this microchip will be strictly limited to driving license issues so as to ensure that a license can still be withdrawn after a serious offence. * to introduce the notion of a limited administrative validity of driving licenses. All new driving licenses issued from the date of application of the proposed Directive will have to be regularly renewed Drivers will keep their acquired rights but the regular renewal of the document will limit the extensive possibilities of fraud that exist today by making it possible to update the anti-fraud protection of all licenses as well as the holder's photograph. This will also ensure free movement of drivers: all driving licenses will have the same validity periods and they will all be valid in any Member State without condition for this same administrative period. This will prevent Member States from applying restrictive measures to holders of non-national driving licenses by subjecting them to national rules on validity periods and medical checks. All new licenses of category A (motorcycles) and B (cars) would be valid for 10 years, 5 years if holders are over 65 years of age. All new licenses of category C (trucks) and D (buses) will be valid for 5 years, one year if holders are over 65 years of age. * to put an end to driving license tourism by ensuring a coherent and pan-European application in case of driving license withdrawal. Today, too many citizens establish themselves in another Member State to apply for a new driving license when the Member State of their normal residence has withdrawn their driving license because of a serious traffic offence. The Commission thus proposes to reinforce the concept of 'one holder-one license', which will prevent a Member State from issuing a license to a person who already holds another driving license, also when such license has been withdrawn. * to reinforce, in the interest of road safety, progressive access to: the most powerful motorcycles by varying the minimum age between 16 and 24 years, depending upon the technical characteristics of the motorcycle and the experience of the driver. * the most powerful trucks and buses, ensuring that all drivers of trucks and buses, including those that so far were not covered by legislation on the training of professional drivers, be subject to progressive access. * to introduce a new license category for mopeds which should improve road safety for the most vulnerable youngsters on our roads. A very popular means of transport, mopeds should no longer be left outside the scope of this legislation. * to harmonise the periodicity of medical checks for professional drivers. * to introduce minimum requirements for the initial qualification and training of driving examiners which had been so far left out of the scope of any harmonisation. This should contribute to increasing similarities between driving tests throughout the EU. (EU Brussels, 22 October 2003 )

Iain Smith of solicitors Keegan Smith, claims the charge of driving while disqualified discloses that the accused person already has a conviction for a motoring offence. "It is a fundamental part of Scots Law that previous convictions are not revealed to a jury until after the verdict. "And there is a case to be made that the disclosure of previous convictions is a breach of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights which guarantees an accused person a fair trial." People caught behind the wheel in defiance of a court ban should instead be charged with driving without a license. Any previous conviction or driving ban could then be revealed to the court after the jury returned a verdict. He said: "That would need only a very minor change to the legislation and provide a much fairer system. The penalties imposed on a guilty person would not be affected by the change because the previous record would be given to the judge or sheriff upon conviction, as happens in other kinds of cases. "In general, previous convictions are not revealed until after the jury returns a verdict. It is really only in driving while disqualified that the charge itself discloses that an accused person has already been through the legal system and has been found guilty of an offence." Last night one legal expert warned that if Smith's move succeeded it could lead to a flood of appeals by drivers who have been convicted of driving while disqualified. He said: "Every case since the EHCR was incorporated into Scots Law in 1997 will be put under the microscope if this succeeds." ( Scotland on Sunday 27/7/03 )

 From  01  October 2003  all  aftermarket  electrical  or  electronic  products  that  are  fitted  in  vehicles  will  have  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  Automotive  Directive  (95/54/EC)  and  be  'e'  marked.  Until  now  the  use  of  the  'CE'  mark,  with  the  product  meeting  the  requirements  of  the  EMC  Directive  (89/336/EEC)  has  been  acceptable  (at  the  discretion  of  the  individual  EU  countries).  The  changes  mean  that  manufacturers  will  have  to  go  down  the  application  route  for  certification.  "The  “e”  mark  is  issued  by  the  Vehicle  Certification  Agency  (VCA)  in  the  UK.  Since  the  VCA  does  not  have  its  own  EMC  test  facilities  the  testing  required  by  95/54EC  will  need  to  be  carried  out  either  by  authorized  technical  services  or  test  facilities  such  as  RFI  approved  by  the  VCA."  (S  Muir,  New  Alliance   10/6/03 )   

We must brace ourselves for March 23, 2005 , and an upheaval on Britain 's road network that will make the 2001 fuel-tax protests seem trivial. This is when a European Union directive will force lorry drivers to reduce their working time to 48 hours a week. Overnight, to provide the same service, Britain will need 60,000 more qualified drivers, and there is no way that they can be made available so quickly. Deliveries to supermarkets, factories and petrol stations will be subject to disruption taking not days but years to resolve. Tens of thousands of trucks which currently work at night will be forced onto daytime roads, creating massive congestion for other motorists. The total cost of complying with the new law, which will affect Britain much more seriously than other EU countries, is estimated at £3.8 billion a year, to be paid for in higher prices for everything carried by road. On Tuesday the Government will publish a consultation paper on how it proposes to implement EC directive 2002/15, restricting lorry drivers' working hours to 48 a week, averaged over four months. This is not their actual driving time, already strictly limited by another EU law, but also includes non-driving time, spent on such activities as waiting for trucks to be loaded. Britain has about 332,000 drivers, of whom those working full-time put in an average of 60 hours a week. To make up the shortfall when this is reduced to 48, Britain 's haulage industry will overnight have to find another 60,000 drivers, even though they are already in short supply and it takes two years or more to train an HGV driver to the standard required by law.  Additional restrictions on night-time working will push many more trucks on to the roads in daylight, thus increasing congestion for other motorists. Supermarkets, reliant on round-the-clock deliveries to keep their shelves filled, will be particularly badly hit. The only hope of keeping Britain moving, industry sources say, is that many drivers will turn to agency work, hoping to maintain wage levels by working 48 hours for one company, then making up the extra by working for another. If the Government seeks to avoid recriminations from Brussels , this will present the UK Health and Safety Executive with a huge enforcement problem. But at least Mr Blair will not complain. He knows that, for the privilege of being at "the heart of Europe ", this is the sort of price we must learn to pay. (Sunday Telegraph Christopher Booker's Notebook 08/06/2003 )

The Working Time Directive lays down that from March 2005 drivers must not  work more than an average (over 4 months)  of 48 hours a week and 60 hours  in any one week. Also any driver working for 4 hours of the midnight-7.am  'core' period will be limited to 10 hours total.   Extra drivers will be needed to cover for the hours the present  drivers will not be permitted to work.  With demand at present levels CEBR  (Centre for Economic and Business Research)  estimates that 60,000 new  drivers will be needed (and 90,000 if growth is +2%)  Drivers will not (and cannot!)  accept a cut in wages and, as they are in  short supply even now, wages will rise by 9% on top of the current forecast  of +5.9%  (=+14.9%)  To work with the directive will call for more vehicles (+8,500-12,000)  which will add to congestion and CEBR calculates that road speeds will fall  by 5% between 2002 amd 2010 resulting in a 3.6% fall in miles per vehicle  per year  In 2005 costs will increase +£3.8bn (=£7,000 per driver or £9,000 per vehicle) and  +5.6% per annum to +£24.8bn in total over 2005-2010.   At present industry  margins are between 1% and 5% so costs will have to be passed on. (Road Haulage Association 28/4/03 )  

 "Six million drivers face fines for using `wrong type of hands-free device'" Association of British Drivers responds to proposed Government ban on in-car mobile phones which includes most popular hands-free kits, including the new wireless Bluetooth technology.  Confusion surrounds proposed legislation to ban mobiles in-cars. Proposed blanket ban includes many types of hands-free kit - but not all! UK Government threatens to take harder line than the rest of Europe . The proposed ban on mobile use applies even when car is stationary! (Press Release The Association of British Drivers (ABD) 31-3-03 )  

LORRY drivers working in Northern Ireland's quarries could lose up to £15,000 a year if European legislation on working time is applied to them, industry chiefs have warned. The Quarry Products Association Northern Ireland (QPANI) said the drivers would have to drop one or two loads a day - each earning them £30 - if the working time directive (WTD) comes into force. "They could lose £7,500 to £15,000 in income a year, yet standing charges of insurance, tax and hire purchase will not change. For many owner-drivers this will mean financial disaster." The association wants the Government to exempt lorry drivers in the quarrying industry from the legislation, which is aimed primarily at long-distance hauliers. QPANI argued that its drivers should be exempted in the same way as workers in the gas, electricity, carriage of live animals/animal waste and postal delivery industries. The association also claimed the legislation could have a detrimental effect on road safety, with drivers trying to carry out the same amount of work as they currently do but in a shorter space of time. A spokesman further pointed out: "We believe that the WTD, if implemented as proposed, will increase vehicle numbers and vehicle aggregate mileage, which will increase the incidence of injury and death on the roads. "Many companies will have to consider putting more lorries on the road as they strive to maintain the same level of service, thereby increasing HGV vehicle numbers on our roads at a time when government is faced with the challenge of reducing vehicle numbers. " (18 Feb 2003 The Belfast Telegraph)

THE Sunday ritual of cleaning the car could be under threat from a European Union directive which has forced Edinburgh City Council to change its bus stop cleaning arrangements. The legislation prevents cleaners from using detergent to dislodge grime and graffiti because it washes into drains and into water courses. Councillors are now waiting to discover what solutions they can use after being told by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) that even its biodegradable vegetable-based cleaning fluid falls foul of European law. A spokesman for Edinburgh City Council said that the capital could now follow other European countries where drivers are only permitted to hand wash their cars in specially designated areas rather than on city streets. "We have received notification from SEPA that our bus shelter cleaners can no longer use any type of detergent to wash off grime and graffiti," she added. "This is because of European legislation which prevents chemicals being washed off into drains in public places which obviously happens at the moment. This is despite the fact that our cleaners have been using a biodegradable vegetable-based fluid that is environmentally friendly. We are waiting to find out what if any cleaning fluids we can use or whether we just have to use cloths that have already been impregnated with the stuff. "The natural extension of this is people who wash their cars by hand in the streets as they are effectively doing the same thing as us." (The Scotsman 18/2/03)

The EU is proposing new road safety and employment rules that would force most commercial road users to stop driving after just three hours for a tea break. In January in Strasbourg, MEPs supported a new draft, which experts say will have a devastating impact on the road haulage, express delivery and coach industries in Britain and most EU countries. The new measures from Brussels got strong support from many of Europe's 600 euro-MPs - some of whom originally wanted medical vehicles, breakdown trucks and water and gas vehicles to be included. However, a group of 36 British Conservative MEPs wanted the entire proposal rejected, dismissing it as "unnecessary, unacceptable and unenforceable", according to one. "Imagine coach firms that drive from Aberdeen to London whose drivers have to stop every 30 minutes!" added another. The proposal as it is exempts any vehicles that work within city perimeters and only applies to vans exceeding 1.5 tonnes. It will however affect mini cabs that are used as couriers outside of cities. Coach firms are also going to be held up by the EC proposal - which could come into force as early as 2004. Road haulage firms, already facing redundancies and in many cases bankruptcy through losing contracts to European rivals, will also be hit hard. Currently, EU rules insist that truck drivers stop and rest for 45 minutes - after four and a half hours driving. The new EU Regulation would reduce this to a 30-minute break after three hours driving. "But it's very difficult for lorry drivers to find suitable places to stop as you can't always park a 44-tonne truck", adds Roger King of the Road Haulage Association. "It's going to add to delays and costs and have a very negative impact on our industry". "It's certainly going to be difficult for the smaller firms as they will have to fit tachographs in their smaller vehicles, which cost 800 euro each - including courier firms' vehicles", he added. (The Sprout 15/2/03) http://www.thesprout.net/graft/graft19.htm

The EU states have approved the Commission’s proposal to create a "single European sky". This will harmonise air traffic control throughout the EU from 2005. Various European unions, especially in France, have opposed the idea and organised strikes to protest against it, but now their leaders say they have obtained sufficient guarantees from the French minister of transport. The EU also approved the amounts of money payable by airlines to passengers who have been overbooked. The reimbursement will now be €250 for flights below 1,500 km; €400 for flights between 1,500km and 3,500 km; and €600 for longer flights. (European Foundation Digest No. 157 12th December 2002)

Two initiatives originating in EU transport-policy are being carried forward by the RAC (without attribution, naturally) one of these is congestion-charging (road-tolls) - detailed proposals for - "unveiled by the RAC Foundation at a major conference addressed by Alistair Darling, Sec of State for Transport". The other is biennial eye-testing for ALL drivers - based on research carried out by no less disinterested a body than Specsavers Opticians - which the RAC is urging the Government to consider. Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation said: "It is staggering that a quarter of motorists are willing to get behind the wheel when their eyesight does not meet even the basic legal standards. (Mid Somerset Times 30 11.02)

The EU stripped member countries of their full power to negotiate airline deals with America, and on Wednesday it proposed a near takeover of the British and French nuclear industries. As usual, there were good reasons for these moves, but the cumulative effect of such "power-grabs" is the relentless emasculation of the British government. (Daily Telegraph Ambrose Evans-Pritchard in Brussels 09/11/2002). Today, the European Court of Justice, (ECJ) in Luxembourg has ruled that member states had acted illegally in negotiating some aspects of bilateral "open sky" agreements with the US. The decision means in effect that the European Commission does indeed have the right to negotiate with the US over the liberalisation of transatlantic flights. Further more the decision opens the way for smaller EU carriers to tackle transatlantic routes currently dominated by national carriers. (EUobserver.com 6/11/02)

The cost of certain categories of diesel fuel could rise following a blunder by some of Europe's socialist MEPs, The Sprout has learnt. A misinterpretation of a working paper could also raise the cost of new homes in Britain as the UK's £65 billion building industry prepares itself for higher operating costs. The fine print in a new EU Directive - which aims to reduce the level of sulphur in diesel fuel by 2005 - has not excluded 'non-road' vehicles and machinery. As a result, the newer, leaner diesel will be useless for thousands of construction vehicles and machinery across Europe - plus all tractors currently in use. JCB's and road-diggers will also not be able to run on it - and will consequently be running illegally on the existing lower-grade diesel, often called "gas oil". The EU proposal now threatens to increase the cost of existing, low-grade diesel - "gas oil" - by as much as 10% - as it will have to be modified. According to a leaked UK government memo, the changes will be a body blow for farmers using tractors and machinery "if, as indications suggest, the oil industry decides that the most cost-effective solution is to produce all gas oil. (i.e. diesel for non-road engines and heating oil), to the new specification. This figure is equivalent to 3% of farming income for 2001, with cereal and cropping farmers being the hardest hit". Plant hire equipment and construction firms using JCBs, fork-lift trucks, diesel generators and compressors will also be hit - with builders expected to pass costs on to new home buyers: "If this legislation means the cost of gas oil rising by the predicted 10 per cent, it would significantly increase the operating costs for site plant and machinery for thousands of UK contractors" warns Tony Maynard, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders. The Sprout can reveal however, that the oversight was the fault of a group of socialist MEPs who could have excluded the machinery from the EU Directive, admits Britain's own Junior Transport Minister, David Jamieson. Mr Jamieson has been frantically trying, since November of last year, to make his own (Labour) MEPs exclude the construction equipment, claim Conservative MEPs based in Brussels. Then, labour MEPs rejected a proposal to exclude the equipment from the new legislation - a move now likely to force oil companies to reduce sulphur levels in current "gas oil", expected to raise pump prices by up to 10%. "Oil firms will have to take out the sulphur from this type of gas oil and pass the extra costs onto the end-users", explains Malcolm Webb, Director General of the Petroleum Industry Association. "The EU proposal could even oblige us to bring in a new, more expensive third grade of "gas oil" (diesel) for these categories which means, for everyone that distributes and uses it, new storage facilities", But Jamieson's efforts were thwarted by the Government's own MEPs who backed the rules, originally proposed by Finnish Environmentalists. (The Sprout 2nd. September 2002)

Blameless drivers may be forced to compensate careless cyclists and pedestrians in road accidents, under new EU plans to shake up the UK's insurance market. Motorists involved in road accidents which are not their fault may still lose their no claims bonus under new proposals to shake up insurance laws. Plans drawn up by Brussels mean car drivers would automatically take the rap in any accident, regardless of who was really to blame. It could mean pedestrians and cyclists receive compensation, even if they were the cause of the accident. If the plans are enacted, it could also bump up the price of insurance premiums, and there are fears that it could lead some drivers to take their chances and forgo any insurance cover. Already up to 10% - or 2.5 million - drivers take to the road illegally, without any cover, says the RAC Foundation. The proposal, drawn up by the European Commission, is part of an effort to harmonise motor insurance laws across the EU. New research by the RAC shows more than a third of adult pedestrians killed on the UK's roads each year have an alcohol level over the legal limit for driving. The proposal is currently in the committee stage of the European Parliament and is expected to come before the full parliament in November. (BBC News on-line 10/07/02) 

The Sunday Telegraph and the Observer are carrying the story about charging motorists for road travel using satellite technology. Once again, journalists are missing the EU angle. They say the proposals are in the government's 10 year transport plan, which is true. But here, also, is a paragraph from page 74 of the EU's "white paper" on EU transport policy : "Systems to locate, identify and monitor vehicles and their loads will become increasingly reliable through the use of information and telecommunication technologies, especially satellite navigation systems (Galileo). Tariff schedules can then be more targeted and be drawn up according to infrastructure category (national, international) and use (distance travelled, length of time used). Other objective factors can also be taken into account, e.g. vehicle category (environmental performance, factors influencing infrastructure deterioration, even the loading ratio), level of congestion (period of the day, week or year) and location (urban, suburban, interurban or rural)". The paper is at : http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy_transport/en/lb_en.html (E-mail IF 24/2/02)

On Monday, the European Court of Justice recommended that individual member states are not allowed under Community law to negotiate deals allowing their national airlines access to US airports ahead of carriers from other EU countries. "Any steps taken unilaterally would be incompatible with the unity of the common market," Advocate General Tizzano said in his opinion. The opinion of the Advocate General is not legally binding, but is taken into consideration when the Court makes its final ruling. In 1998, the European Commission launched proceedings against eight member states (the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, and Germany) for pursuing bilateral agreements, rather than allowing negotiations to take place on behalf of the EU as a whole. This, they argued, was contrary to the principle of a single market According to the Advocate General, whenever the Community adopts common rules in a given sphere, "the member states lose the power to contract with non-member countries' obligations which affect these rules." Therefore, "in matters covered by the common rules, the member states may not under any circumstances conclude international agreements." The Advocate General considers that the disputed agreements touch on the common rules only so far as concerns air fares chargeable by US carriers on intra-Community routes and the computerised reservation systems. If, as expected, the European Court of Justice follows the Advocate General's opinion and rules in favour of the European Commission, member states would have to cancel deals already negotiated with the US or face possible disciplinary action by the EU, according to a spokesperson for the Courts. However, it is not entirely clear what happens in cases where agreements between the US and member states are legally binding, and breaking them would contravene international law. A final ruling on the case is expected in the coming months. (Euobserver.com 4/2/02)

The European Commission will put forward its latest proposals to shake up Europe's massively subsidised and poorly performing rail industry. But rarely, if ever, has the atmosphere been so unwelcoming for an attempt to open up the sector. While Brussels makes clear it disapproves of UK-style privatisation, the collapse of Britain's Railtrack hangs over the debate. In the Netherlands, the government has also acted to reassert its control over its rail network. And in France there are elections soon - always a deterrent for liberalisation. For such reasons, Brussels' initiative will steer clear of concrete measures in the most controversial areas, such as passenger markets. Rail receives more than E30bn ($27bn, £19bn) in subsidies from EU governments a year, making it Europe's most favoured sector outside agriculture. Yet between 1970 and 1998 its share of passengers in the EU fell from 10 to 6 per cent, while the proportion of freight fell still more calamitously, from 21 to 8 per cent. It wants to liberalise Europe's rail industry, not only so that trains can become more efficient, but also that the sector can become a single, unified market, in which, for example, German trains would be able to operate properly on French tracks. Brussels' latest proposals cover this area. The new package touches on safety standards - at present different criteria for safety certificates add to the complications of operating trains across EU countries. It is also aimed at opening up domestic freight markets, moving towards more technical standardisation and establishing a new agency to ensure the market functions as one. Indeed the most important change is one that has already become EU law - and here too France's attitude is crucial. By March next year member states are supposed to have formally separated the units of rail companies that are responsible for infrastructure from those that operate the trains. At the moment, the Commission complains, those in charge of allocating use of France's rail network are in practice part of SNCF. As a result, international trains are often given a lower priority, making timetabling acutely difficult, and competition with just-in-time truck shipments near impossible. Meanwhile, doubt persists about whether ordinary European citizens even want a pan-European network. (Financial Times January 16 2002)

Sir Robert Atkins, MEP, in his speech he mentioned that the next piece of transport legislation on the agenda, is a directive seeking to ban HGV's from driving on Sundays - as is common already in some parts of the EU. (Eurofaq posting December 14, 2001)

Imagine you are French and you bought a new car in December 1996. It is now sitting, losing value at what you thought was a reduced pace, in your driveway. You have decided to sell it and buy a new car. Well, you have a problem: your car is worth nothing. Some overpaid, hyperactive bureaucrat in Brussels woke up in 1996 to the fact that asbestos is harmful to human health. The European Parliament, evidently without making further inquiries, leapt into action, proposing a ban on the sale, from January 1 2002, of any car built before January 1 1997 that has not been the subject of asbestos removal "in an approved manner", whatever that means. Clutch linings, brake pads, cylinder head gaskets and heat shields under the bonnets of cars built before that date could all theoretically contain asbestos. On December 24 1996, the French parliament nodded through this insane piece of Euro legislation. An EU proposal means that, although this might be a stupid idea, we think you should adopt it, whereas an EU directive means that, although this might be a stupid idea, you have to adopt it. The German and Belgian governments wisely decided to ignore this absurd measure until an EU directive comes into force in 2005. The French government has now postponed the application of this law for a year (until after next year's general election), reassuring neither used-car traders nor owners of classics. The scale of the problem is enormous: of 28 million cars registered in France, 20 million are more than five years old and annual sales of used cars are double those of new. Everyone knows asbestos is a potentially harmful substance. However, a couple of telephone calls could have avoided this idiocy. According to Renault and PSA (Peugeot/Citroen), all their vehicles were progressively made asbestos-free from 1993 and by 1995 the material was no longer used. The same, or even more so, applies to Ford, GM and all other major manufacturers. As for older cars, it is almost certain that they are now running around on asbestos-free brake pads or linings, and it is likely that their clutches have been changed also. Most will still have asbestos-based head gaskets and bonnet insulation, though the number of vehicles involved must be relatively small. But since when did contradictory facts deter legislators? French owners of five-year-old cars are now free to sell them, but finding buyers might be difficult, to put it mildly. (Sunday Telegraph Motoring 15/12/2001)

An independent year-long study by MFBI, the UK motor industry consultants, concludes that EU rules covering new car sales restrict customer choice while inflating prices and creating a virtual monopoly in spare parts, according to the Financial Times. The report recommends a total reform of the car block exemption, which allows carmakers to sell cars through captive dealers. Mario Monti, competition commissioner, has already expressed dissatisfaction at the current system and warned of reforms. The car block exemption is due to expire in September 2002. The MFBI report calls for an end to exclusive territories for car dealers and to the obligatory link between dealers' sales and service operations. Some carmakers have signalled their willingness to overhaul the sales and service link. However, manufacturers are anxious to retain part of the captive service operations because spare parts account for only 6 per cent of their revenues but 20-30 per cent of their profits. (EUobserver.com 3/12/01)

The EU's rules about airline take-off slots are that companies should use them or lose them. The EU has waived the rule for the time being to favour national flag airlines, such as BA, which have cut back their services. This prevents low cost airlines from expanding even though they have experienced a sharp increase in passengers. (BA has offered some unused slots of its own accord) (BBC1 TV Watchdog 18/10/01)

The sinister thing about the aviation safety proposal was that it actually had nothing at all to do with safety. EU member states already have their own safety agencies, which cooperate freely though an inter-governmental organisation known as the Joint Aviation Authority (JAA). Thus, the true agenda was about replacing existing agencies with a single EU institution, giving the EU Commission direct power over safety matters. And this is no figment of a fevered, Eurosceptic imagination. In the very text of the Commission proposal the mechanism it stated that this was to be achieved 'through the gradual integration of national systems'. (Letter from Strasburg RAENorth 10/90/01)

From the RAC web site, "Plan Route": Road names are displayed using the Europe-wide road numbering system. In addition, for UK routes the UK road name is shown first e.g. M6/E15 is the M6 also known as the E15 in the Europe-wide road numbering system. It does not refer to exit 15. ( RAC 28/8/01) 

In the EU existing directives can be amended on the basis of "technical progress" and the Second EC Driving Licence Directive was subject to such amendments. Motorcycling organisations were not made aware of them until they were agreed. One amendment has caused concern, it appears in Appendix II related to the motorcycle driving test: "6.2.4 At least two manoeuvres to be executed at higher speed...one at least at 30 kph and one manoeuvre avoiding an obstacle at a minimum of 50 kph..." The collision avoidance exercise is to brake and then swerve. EU member states have five years to implement the new regulation. It will cause considerable problems for the test and training organisations in the UK. The efficacy of the test has been questioned. The UK's Institute of Advanced Motorists does not recommend it. The training ground needs 600 yards to ensure rider safety. Collision avoidance training will add at least 6 hours to the training course. Insurance costs will also increase. Crashes are inevitable. The Driving Standards Agency estimate it will cost £40m to develop the test facilities. This will double the cost of the test and the few sites will involve extensive travel for most candidates. The industry is faced with persuading the EU to issue a further "technical progress" amendment reversing the new agreement. This will be opposed by Sweden and Holland who already do the collision avoidance test. (BMF Rider Journal July 2001)

London Mayor Ken Livingstone today claimed new EU regulations could affect negotiations over the Government's plans to part privatise the Tube. A European Commission proposal to tender out the Tube contracts every five years could compromise any agreement reached on the 30-year public-private partnership (PPP). The proposal, entitled The Regulation on Public Service Requirements in Passenger Transport, is aimed at driving up standards in transport companies by making the market more competitive. It wants to bring in increased levels of private expertise to public transport systems. The regulation is currently being considered by the EU's transport committee. It will be passed on to the European Parliament and then the Council of Ministers and could become law by next year. Today Mr Livingstone announced a campaign to galvanise opposition to the proposal. "As currently drafted, the EU regulation would wreak havoc on London's transport system," he said. "I will seek the support of London's MEPs, all political parties and the Government to overrule this proposal." (London Evening Standard 22/5/01)

Safety groups have warned of the dangers to pedestrians posed by new 15-metre long buses which European Union ministers are now allowing in Britain. The new buses will swing out further than the 12-metre vehicles currently operating in the UK. The Pedestrians' Association and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents claims that the buses' length could be a danger to pedestrians. The 25% increase in bus length could ultimately force changes in road junctions nationwide and a re-think on lampposts, bus shelters and rubbish bins. "We would have very strong concerns if there was any threat at all to pedestrian safety," said a spokesman for RoSPA. Ben Plowden, director of the Pedestrians' Association, added: "Roads which the longer buses will use must be chosen very carefully. Also, drivers of these new vehicles will need to be well trained." The British Government had objected to the introduction of the 15-metre buses on safety grounds. But EU transport ministers meeting in Luxembourg ignored the protests and agreed to allow the buses on all Europe's roads. But the UK did win a three-year delay before having to comply with the decision. (Annanova 7/4/01) http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_217832.html

As is well known, the European Commission is committed to the principles of subsidiarity and freedom of movement. It is quite natural, therefore, that it should be preparing a single Europe-wide plan to charge tolls for cars to enter the centres of all European cities – a move which would infringe both of these principles. The Commission also wants to legislate to remove rules against lorries driving on Sundays and also to keep them to specific roads. It has called for "a transparent system of harmonised norms for limiting cross-border goods transport in heavy lorries to certain roads." [Die Welt, 2nd April 2001]

 The Municipal Bus Company of Aarhus (Århus Sporveje) in Denmark, which has never sent one bus beyond municipal boundaries, has become a problem that cannot be left to the Aarhus City Council, but must of necessity be subjected to EU regulations, according to an answer from the EU Commission to Jens-Peter Bonde, MEP for the JuneMovement. Jens-Peter Bondes question to the Commission went: "Is it, according to the Commission, in accordance with the subsidiarity principle to employ EU rules for forcing a municipal government to submit municipal bus services to tenders, when they do not affect bus services in other EU countries? According to Jens-Peter Bonde, the Commission's answer has far-reaching consequences. The Commission evades the fact that Århus Sporveje does not distort competition. Instead, it refers to the fact that tenders have taken place generally and in other places. "What next, then?" asks Jens-Peter Bonde. "What if a nursing home has been submitted to tenders - does that mean that the EU is authorized to generally order that nursing homes must be submitted to tenders?" Århus is the second largest city in Denmark. (EUobserver.com 29/3/01)

WEST Midlands Euro MP Philip Bradbourn has revealed that a top-level European Commission report found British motorists could face a 97 per cent rise in the cost of running a small car by 2005. The official report, called "Revenues from Efficient Pricing: Evidence from the Member States", gives detailed evidence of the effects of introducing current EU proposals for 'infrastructure charging' to Britain. Experts concluded that the Government could be squeezing an extra £12.6million per year out of motorists within five years, compared to recent figures. Speaking from Brussels today, Mr Bradbourn, a Member of the European Parliament's Transport Committee, said: "The justification given for the policy of 'infrastructure charging' - voted through Parliament with Labour support in January - was that it would reduce congestion and encourage people to use public transport. (Eurofaq posting 22/3/01)

 EU Type Approval law, requires all cars without self-levelling suspension to have a means of lowering their headlamp beams to compensate for load. (Daily Telegraph Saturday 17th March 2001 Motoring )

DRIVERS over 50 may have to take tough driving and medical tests under radical plans being considered by the Government. The move, it is believed, could prevent hundreds of road accidents in the UK each year. The proposals come from the European Commission in consultation with senior officials from Britain and other EU countries as part of the new Driving Licence Directive. The changes will be a dramatic departure from the present system in Britain, which virtually guarantees a "cradle to grave" driving licence. Currently over-70s are asked to fill in a form every three years stating that they are still fit to drive. (Evening Standard London 1/12/200) Implied in the proposals is the possibility that Greek, or in due course Polish, police or magistrates will be able to ban British drivers from British roads. It is also proposed to ban people over 50 from nighttime driving. The voting mechanism for the new licence will be by QMV. (DVLA/Dept of Transport - Eurofaq posting 4/5/01))

Speed Limiters - Car drivers take note! You might be thinking"This doesn't affect me because I don't drive a lorry", but they're going to fit them to cars. The European Union passed legislation in early 1997 which would allow them to limit the top speed of cars. All they're waiting for is the right time to do it. Many new cars are already fitted with limiters, (the Audi A80 and Jaguar XK8 among them), but the limiters are set to something silly like 180 mph. (If you've got a cruise control you can almost guarantee you've also got a limiter because the same machinery does both jobs.) As soon as the law is passed requiring cars to be limited, it's just a matter of taking the car into your local dealer for him to reset the limiter, and that's it. Your car will never go above the set speed ever again. "Well", you're thinking, "If they set them to 75 or 80 mph it wouldn't be too bad". Think again! Guess what speed they want to set them to? 62mph (100 km/h). That's right, sixty two miles per hour. Once your limiter's set you'll never go over 62mph again. Ever. Note: the sudden increase in the number of lorry drivers killed began as soon as limiters became compulsory in Britain. (http://www.cybertrucker.co.uk/)

It is hard to find any sense in the latest proposed EU Recreational Craft Directive amendments concerning emissions. Not because anyone here at Sailing Today is in favour of air or noise pollution, mark you, but because their catch-all wording means that the effect of these changes may well be to force anyone replacing their yacht's engine to undergo certification of the new installation at a cost to each individual of several thousand pounds. They would certainly mean that the installation would have to meet current emissions requirements, instead of those in force when the boat was built; and while exhaust emissions are unlikely to pose problems, noise output may prove more difficult to deal with. If you replace a car engine, it needs to meet the requirements in force when the vehicle was first sold, not the current limits, so what is different about boats? They produce a fraction of the atmospheric pollution attributed to road vehicles or electricity generation, so why should they be singled out for this treatment? The absurd upshot of these proposals is that they seek to penalise instead of encouraging a boat owner who wishes to dispense with a noisy, dirty, smelly old engine and replace it with a clean, quiet new one. Counter productive or what? Worse still, the proposals could encourage some owners to continue using an engine which is in a dangerously poor condition. Motor failures are the biggest single reason for lifeboat launchings, prompting the RNLI to declare 2001 the Year of the Engine. (Sailing Today - March 2001)

 More than 1 million foreign lorries entered the country in the year to September 2000 outnumbering British lorries going to the continent by 2 to 1 on channel crossings. German lorries are the fastest growing group - up 40% in the year while British lorries going the other way fell 2%. Not only do foreign trucks enter with enough cheap diesel in their tanks to complete most, if not all, of their UK business but UK trucks entering Germany have to pay a £1000 toll. {Times 22/2/01}

 In addition to hatching plans for the unification of air traffic control (the programme known as "15 countries, one sky", towards which the impending privatisation of British air traffic control is a first step) the European Union has also agreed to copy the British model of separating the infrastructure from the train services and thereby to introduce competition across the whole of an integrated EU rail network. The EU transport commissar, Loyola de Palacio, said that this decision was the "first step towards a truly European railway system". By 2008, all national networks will have to allow access to trains from all EU member states. "Only by opening the rail sector and breaking down national structures can we increase the attractiveness of rail travel," said an MEP who claims to be a transport expert in the Christian Democrat group. The commissar added that this would contribute to the integration of the transport sector overall. [Handelsblatt, 23rd November 2000]. Britain and Spain's long-running dispute over Gibraltar has forced the European Commission to shelve its "single sky" reforms, which are aimed at centralising air traffic control and reducing flight delays, Loyola de Palacio, European transport Commissioner. (FT 7/3/01)

IRISH truckers last night warned that customers will have to foot the cost of a controversial new UK road tax. The tax, announced yesterday by Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, would mean foreign hauliers paying a tax to use UK roads. However, there were indications last night it may be illegal. But its introduction would seriously impact on Irish hauliers, some 70pc of whom use the UK roads either as a way to access the rest of Europe or as a final destination. However, the European Commission warned the tax may be illegal if it discriminates in favour of British hauliers or against Irish hauliers. The Commission also said if the new system discriminates between British and Irish hauliers it could be unjustifiable. "If it really creates a difference between Britain and other hauliers, especially the Irish who have to go through the UK to reach mainland Europe, then it must be analysed," said a spokesman for the Transport Commissioner, Loyola de Palacio. Britain must also inform the EU of the proposals, which could be defined as a state aid under European law. (Irish Independent 9/11/00)

PLANS are being drawn up to make the British passport more European by changing the colour to sky blue and replacing the royal coat of arms with the EU logo, a circle of 12 stars. The new colour, which will apply to all European member states, will be promoted as a contribution to harmonisation and a way of avoiding confusion at ports and airports. It also aims to foster a sense of European citizenship among different nationalities. Responsibility for the redesign has been given to Antonio Vitorino of Portugal, the European Commissioner for Justice, who has long advocated the need for a European sense of identity. Under his draft design, passports in Britain and other states would effectively become miniature versions of the EU flag, with no national emblems on the cover. "It is widely felt that there is no longer any real need for national emblems, which are confusing to many people," said a commission official in the justice department. His proposals, which are expected to be adopted by the Commission, would make the new design compulsory, costing countries billions of pounds in new printing and issuing expenses. The new documents would be issued by national governments rather than by Brussels, and would be introduced over 10 years. Downing Street hinted last night that Tony Blair might use the British veto to block the redesign, saying the Government would have "strong reservations" about any changes. (Sunday Telegraph 29 October 2000) Ref: Subject :2299th Council meeting - Justice, Home Affairs AND Civil Protection - Luxembourg, 17 October 2000 ITEMS APPROVED WITHOUT DEBATE - Minimum security standards for travel documents of Member States of the EU - Resolution

Commissioner Antonio Vitorino who wants us all to have ring-of-stars passports had to quit politics in Portugal ... resigning as Deputy PM, Defence Minister, Cabinet President and MP over his part in a property scandal. (Mail on Sunday Nov 2000)

At the moment, according to the DVLA, it is illegal to have any emblem whatsoever on licence plates; even the EU ring of stars is illegal. The reason given for this is that any emblem would mean squeezing the characters so that they would not conform to the statutory dimensional requirements. However, from 1st March 2001 the licence plates will change in such a way that there will be space for an emblem .The regulations will state that only the EU symbol (with GB in the middle) will be legal everything else including the UK Union flag will be illegal! (Eurofaq posting 23/10/00)

Two years ago the future of Global Navigation Satellite Systems seemed settled with GNSS 1 covering seamless GPS overlays within the next couple of years or so. The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) was "our" contribution to the first stage and now seems well on the way to providing extra navigation signals, differential corrections and integrity data for GPS. Back then we thought that GNSS 2 was to be an enhancement to GNSS 1 in that nations other than the US were to contribute to what in effect was a greatly enhanced GPS constellation by launching their own compatible satellites: greater availability and accuracy were on the cards as well as a warm feeling for those who feared the US might "pull the plug" on GPS. The European contribution to GNSS 2 became Galileo in early 1999 and frantic activity is taking place in the current definition phase. But many of us following the activity are becoming alarmed that the product we now see is almost unrecognisable when compared with the original concept. Galileo is adopting frequencies and a signal structure that are so different from GPS that the only compatibility would appear to be able to function at the same time. It is unlikely to find users who, by and large are very happy with existing GPS, relishing the thought of having to install another SatNav system, yet legislation might demand just that by mandating (and charging for) Galileo for port / airport approach in Europe. (The July/August 2000 issue of Navigation News)

New Labour's proposals "A New Deal for Transport" and "Breaking the Logjam" state: "The UK cannot succeed in developing an integrated transport in isolation from Europe. The EU has an important role to play in setting the framework of policy and law...." (Eurofaq posting 16/9/00)

A target date of 1 January 2001 has been set for the general introduction of 44 tonne gvw lorries on 6 axles meeting Euro II emissions standards. (Freight Transport Association Members Briefing)

The EU is considering the introduction of a roadworthiness testing system for motorbikes (RWT). The idea is opposed by FEMA, representing European motorcycle users, on the grounds that it was not cost effective due to the small market for motorcycles and the disproportionate costs that would be incurred for negligible effect. Indeed, technical defects represent an insignificant risk factor in bike accidents. RWT will not solve the problem of noisy exhausts, which can be easily replace by the original ones just to pass the test. Regarding emissions, new limits were introduced six months ago. The proposal follows from a report by CITA which represents testing authorities and if implemented would simply increase their level of activity. (Rider February 2000)

Cross-Channel travellers face a second successive 20% rise in charges this summer as operators try to maintain profits after loosing revenue from duty-free sales. Eurotunnel showed that passenger traffic fell 13% following the abolition of duty-free status. (D Telegraph 25/1/00)

Rail companies, including private operators, can now run freight services where they want in the EU, with the notable exception of France, which remains hostile to market-opening measures. (European Voice 2/3/00)

The Brussels commission has quietly dropped proceedings against Germany and against the German national airline, Lufthansa, which would have required the company to allow a majority of its stock to be owned by foreigners. By doing this, the Commission has quietly accepted the company’s rule forbidding foreign ownership – a rule which naturally contravenes the EU’s most basic laws on the free flow of capital. Brussels is also said to be prepared to drop any proceedings against a similar "Golden Share" held by the Dutch government in KLM. On the other hand, it is opening investigations into Golden Shares in the Dutch telecom and postal companies. According to German newspaper reports from Brussels sources, German national interests simply prevailed over EU law. [Handelsblatt, 11th July 2000]

The European Commission pressed on Friday for the introduction of a environmental tax on fuel used by commercial airliners within the EU, implying that the price of airline tickets would rise. The Commission pressed for quick implementation of a special tax on "the environmental costs of air travel", in a document submitted to EU finance ministers who meet here on Monday. The Commission called for a directive, or EU law, to give each EU member state the right to tax commercial aviation fuel for intra-EU flights. The levy would be extended to flights out of the European Union "as soon as international obligations have been amended to permit it," a press release from the commission said. BRUSSELS, March 10 (AFP)

It is an extraordinary paradox that the United Kingdom and the United States - the two countries in the world which have done the most to liberalise aviation - have achieved the least success in developing open skies between the two countries. Over recent months, teams from both sides of the Atlantic have been struggling to reach a more liberalised agreement. But rather than attempting at this stage to agree a whole myriad of issues, which inevitably will take many more years to accomplish, I believe negotiators should concentrate on a single achievable objective. Their immediate priority should be to introduce new competition that would benefit the 17m travellers who fly between our two nations every year. This action would be a clear demonstration of both countries embracing their commitment to free and unrestricted competition. In doing so, they should not be deflected by red herrings that divert attention away from the principal need for change. For example, cabotage - the ability to operate domestically in another country - and foreign ownership, are not within the gift of the UK government to unilaterally negotiate. It is clear, for instance, that the European Commission will take action against any Member State that grants domestic access from a non-EU airline as it would create a significant distortion of the single European market. (FT - Sir Michael Bishop, chairman of British Midland - 7 Mar 2000 08:10GMT)

THE European Court of Justice compounded the woes of the beleaguered British motorist by ordering the Government to levy VAT on all tolls at main bridges and tunnels. (Times 13/9/00). However, the government is not going to impose the tax at point of delivery, but calculate what the tax take would have been and adjust their returns to the EU accordingly. i.e. our gross contribution, which is related to the volume of VAT, will be increased by the addition of this 'virtual VAT'. (Eurofaq posting Nov, 2000) (See also KPMG)

The European Commission insists that a toll charge is a payment to cross a road and VAT should be applied to charge, as it is in Italy and Spain. The European Court will hear a case later this year. The effect on tolls on the Humber Bridge, for example, would be to put the charge for cars up from £2.30 to £2.70. (Yorkshire Post 4 February 1999)(FFP 28)

The Transport Commissioner wants to impose VAT on the tolls over the Seven bridges and all other toll bridges. The EC threatens to undermine the economic regeneration its own Objective One money spent on the Severn Bridge is meant to bring about. The Commission has referred the government to the European Court of Justice for not Imposing VAT on road and bridge tolls. The Commission argues that VAT should be imposed because the toll is a charge for a service and should be taxed like any other. (Wales on Sunday 5/12/99). The European Court Advocate General has agreed that VAT should be charged on bridge tolls. Furthermore, the charges have to be retrospective to 1994 - he kindly conceded that the back-dating should not be to 1984, as the European Commission demanded. HM Customs & Excise have contested the ruling but there is no chance that the European Court of Justice will fail to confirm the Advocate General's ruling as that would not accord with the principle of an "ever closer union." There are three other EU countries that do not at present charge bridge tolls, France, Greece and Ireland. (Telegraph 16/6/00).

There are several privately owned toll bridges set up under charters by George III that are exempt from taxes. The EC directive overrules these charters. The Bridge at Whitney on Wye charges 50p and will have to collect 60p. Swinsham Bridge at Oxford has 10,000 vehicles a day and charges 5p, a sum that is easily and quickly collected. The new charge will have to be 6p - an intensely irritating sum to collect from fast moving traffic. (Private discussion with owner of the bridges 12/7/00)

The European Commission calls for a "single European sky" policy to co-ordinate traffic management and reverse a sharp increase in flight delays. However, persuading EU governments to give up sovereignty in the air will be difficult. A further complication is that air traffic control in Europe is co-ordinated by Eurocontrol, covering an area much larger than the EU. (FT 2/12/99). Shadow Minister for Transport, Bernard Jenkin has warned that the government is to accept EU plans to take legal control over UK airspace. This is being discussed at the EU transport council ministers meeting in Brussels. "The UK is Europe's leading aviation nation too. What assurance can ministers give that EU control of air traffic will not strengthen the Commission's attempts to take control over the crucial bilateral negotiations between Britain and the United States about landing right's at Heathrow? We know that is their ambition. And, most important, what about the defence and security consequences. EU is not a member of NATO. Many EU countries are non-NATO members. What are the defence and security implications of a non-NATO body partly controlled by non-NATO countries acquiring the supreme authority over UK airspace?" (Press Release from Bernard Jenkin MP, Shadow Minister for Transport.10 December 1999). Britain's EU partners were angered by Tony Blair's attempt to privatise air traffic control, saying it will wreck a Europe-wide scheme to cut delays and congestion. They also fear that a privatised version of the National Air Traffic Control System (Nats) will be dangerously powerful, and will aim to take over smaller, privatised systems run by other countries.(Independent 12/12/99). The European Parliament reiterates its call for the EC Treaty (Nice) to incorporate provisions for the establishment of a single European air traffic control agency.( 10 February 2000 -DRAFT REPORT on the European Parliament's proposals for the Intergovernmental Conference)

France is opposing plans to harmonise the weekend bans on lorries using European Union motorways. The Commission suggested lorry bans on so-called trans-European network roads between 7am and 10pm on Sundays and public holidays. (FT 30/9/99)

Railway experts explained how a major factor in the system breakdown, which led to the Ladbroke Grove disaster, was the lack of communications between Railtrack and the operating companies. One step towards avoiding such disasters, it was suggested, would be to re-integrate Britain's railway network. They seemed quite unaware that this would be illegal. The spitting off of Railtrack went through Parliament under the European Communities Act because it was forced on Britain by EC directive 91/440. The purpose of this was to encourage the setting up of international railway companies to operate across national frontiers, while allowing each nation to retain control of its own track. (Sunday Telegraph 10/10/99) Mr Martin, head of the EU office in the UK, denied that the directive called for the separation of the rail track from rail operating companies in his letter to the Telegraph on 29/10/00 It is perfectly true that the original 1998 proposed amendment by the Commission to directive 91/440, only dealt with separate accounting policies. However what Mr Martin fails to say is that the European Parliament made a major change to that proposal. It required the creation of completely separate entities for railway undertakings and infrastructure management. In 1999 the Commission adopted the revised proposal and in fact went on to say that each entity must have its own legal personality.(Eurofaq posting R B 13/11/00)

The Shadow Transport Minister, Bernard Jenkin, has today announced that the next Conservative Government will put back the Union Jack (or other national symbols) and the Royal Coat of Arms on the new credit-card style driving licenses. The proposed redesign was drawn up by the last Government and even approved by the European Union, but Labour yet again removed this symbol of our national identity. "Labour are gradually stripping away the emblems and institutions which define the United Kingdom. The Blair project is for Britain to become part of a country called Europe by stealth. They are determined to force the EU emblem onto our road signs, our number plates our driving licenses our passports and, of course, they want to abolish the pound. (Press release Monday, 06 November 2000) It is a criminal offence to substitute a union jack for the "ring of stars" union flag on number plates. However, you can get such "Union Jack" plates from: Motorists Discount Centre 99 Oxford Road Cowley Tel 01865 778721 £18 pr, and I-N-M (UK) Ltd, 22 Kingswood Gardens, Leeds LS8 2BT, £27 a set. (Daily Mail)

MINISTERS are backing proposals that would require motorists to carry driving licences at all times, removing their right to produce them for police within a week. Tougher laws affecting 37 million licence holders would bring Britain into line with other European countries, where failure to show a driving licence brings on-the-spot fines. The move will cause concern among civil liberties campaigners that driving licences will be used as a backdoor method of introducing identity cards. British drivers stopped by police or involved in an accident are given seven days to produce their licences at a police station. (Eurofaq posting 19/7/99). A photocard passport that could form the basis of a national identity document is being developed and could be introduced within three years. The Home Office has confirmed that the Passport Agency, which is also involved "as necessary" in any work concerning national identity cards, will develop the photocard document. (The Times January 13 2000). Home Office statement: - "The photocard passport would be a condensed form of the current passport. It would be additional to and would not replace the current passport".(Eurofaq posting 16/1/00)

British it motorists are being overcharged for new cars by up to £6 billion a year, under a price-rigging scheme sanctioned by the EU in flagrant breach of its own Treaty rules. Brussels specifically permits the car manufacturers and dealers to operate a price-fixing racket in the UK's right-hand drive market, although this is illegal under the Treaty of Rome. In 1985, after powerful lobbying, Brussels issued Council regulation 123/85 exempting the car industry from the rules. In 1995 this was renewed as 1475/95. Some 2 million new cars are sold in the UK each year and the average excess price is over £3000. (Sunday Telegraph 7 February 1999)

At if you are travelling in a bus these days and I told "all change" suddenly in the middle of your journey don't blame the bus company. For a court has ruled that, under EU regulation 3820/85, any bus routes over 50 km (31.25 miles) must have a new driver after that distance. So, faced with this lunacy, what happens? One company has responded in a bizarre way. At, or around the limit, all passengers are made to disembark and the driver changes the route number and all are then invited to resume their journey in the same vehicle, with the same driver, but on a different route! Most bus companies however have accepted the law and provide new drivers and raised fares by 20%. (Sunday Telegraph 31 January 1999) (FFP27)

British Airways has been fined 6.8m euros (£4m) by the European Commission for offering incentives to travel agents. The EU said that the practice of "fidelity rebates" which rewards agents who sell more tickets with higher commission fees is anti-competitive. The decision is a victory for BA's fierce international rival Virgin, which lodged a complaint in 1997. (BBC News On-line 14/7/99)

Used Oil Directive: The European Commission is considering a directive which will ensure the correct disposal of used oil, and it's recycling. There have been rumours about limiting individuals' access to buying oil, a requirement to exchange old oil for new or preventing DIY oil changes. The directive is yet to be drafted and the motorcycle lobby 'will call for more locations where used oil can be safely disposed of instead of imposing petty restrictions on motorcycle maintenance. (British Motorcyclists Federation Summer 1999 Newsletter)

Questions are being raised about the taxi firm that has been hired to drive MEPs around. There are suspicions about the manner in which the contract was put out to tender because it was given to one big company while a smaller one offering a better rate was turned down. Furthermore, the cars used are normal cars even though they continue to benefit from the tax breaks accorded to taxis. 31 drivers from this company are currently under investigation for financial irregularity. [Argumentaire européen, 10th June 1999]

The St John Ambulance Service, which for 52 years has relied on using former NHS vehicles, is being forced to buy a new fleet of ambulances because of European Union regulations. The cash-strapped band of volunteers will have to scrap up to 1,200 vehicles because they will not meet the standards of a new European directive. The total bill to replace the vehicles over next three years is likely to top £6 million, a lot of money from organisation relying largely on donations. (Sunday Telegraph 20 June 1999)

Air France is moving a large part of its reservation system to London and creating 240 jobs in Wembley. Why? Because London is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Europe and is ideal for the recruitment of multilingual staff. Air France is joining Delta and TWA with multilingual call centres in London. It will be closing its centres in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain and Italy. (Daily Mail 26 March 1999) (FFP 29)

Governments are denying the European Commission the right to negotiate a key international agreement on their behalf. Transport ministers are set to refuse Commissioner Neil Kinnock's request for a mandate to represent member states in talks on changes to the Warsaw Convention. The Convention limits air carriers' liability for loss or injury. One diplomat said that Kinnock was seeking a broad sweeping mandate to negotiate behalf of governments, adding, "it is not going to happen." Without approval from the member states, the commission would only be able to go to the talks as an observer. Kinnock has launched legal proceedings against eight member states that signed bilateral "open skies" deals with the US. (European Voice 25 March 1999)

The European Union appears on course to adopt a ban on aircraft fitted with engine mufflers in European airspace, in spite of last-minute requests from the US to hold back. The US Senate is considering plans to ban Concorde flights to the US from the UK and France if the EU adopts a ban. The US, the biggest user and producer of hush-kit technology, says the move imposes a design standard not based on actual performance, and which would cause unfair damage to its airline industry. (Financial Times 25 March 1999)

Stephen Byers, the Secretary for Trade and Industry, calls for an inquiry into why Britain's are motorists are being ripped off by £6 billion a year by new car prices up to 60% higher than those on the continent. But his officials need only present him with the Commission Regulation 1475/95 for him to see there is nothing he can do about it. Brussels specifically permits car manufacturers to breach Article 85.1 of the Treaty of Rome by operating the price-fixing racket that allows this to happen. (Sunday Telegraph 21 March 1999)

Government policies on transport are determined by what Brussels wants. For example the recent Green Paper advocates: a tax on off-street car parking and parking spaces at work; tolls on motorways; VAT on tolls (roads and bridges currently escape them); local authority levies for road use. The European Commission's Green Paper 'Towards Fair and Efficient Pricing in Transport' advocates the use road user charging and a levy on non-residential parking. It also says: "The UK cannot succeed in delivering an integrated transport policy in isolation from Europe". The Copenhagen Declaration, signed on 8 May 1996, talks of minimising the amount of public space allocated to cars. The European Commission's DG XI directorate set up the Car Free Cities (CFC) network. (New Alliance April 1999, www.iits.dircon.co.uk/newalliance/motorist.htm)

Orange coloured parking disks for disabled persons are to be changed to blue to conform to EU harmonisation rules. This will cost local authorities millions of pounds. (Sky TV 13/1/99)

International airlines have attacked new EU rules for compensation accident victims. More than 100 airlines, including most European carriers, have moved to waive past rules setting an upper limit on their liability for compensation, going considerably further than will be required under the EU regulations. IATA says, "We want no limit on liability, for the airline to be like any other industry". (European Voice 1/10/98)

Transport ministers are set to agree to introduce Union-wide road tolls by 1999 or 2000. The tolls would be levied on the basis of kilometres travelled, would help to pay for environmental damage caused by lorry traffic. France and Austrian are pressing to harmonise transport sector wages across the EU. (European Voice 26/11/98)

What impact will the single currency have on the European airline market? Airlines have become so expert at segmenting their passenger base, so that dozens or even hundreds of fares are to be found for the same route. Introducing the euro is unlikely to make much difference. (FT 25/11/98)

The International & European Affairs section of London Transport is considering the current issue of "the effect of the harmonisation of VAT on public transport" (Eurofaq posting 5 Nov 1998)

Council approves regulation on recognition of member states' distinctive symbols on motor vehicle plates - The Council has adopted a Regulation on recognition of the Member States' distinctive signs on motor vehicle registration plates. As the European Parliament issued an opinion on final reading on 7 October, this text should take effect shortly, upon publication in the Official Journal. All the Member States must now recognise the symbol representing the country of registration (D, F, IRL, etc.) on a background of yellow European stars located to the left of the registration plate. Until now, some Member States recognised only the black letter in a white oval specified in the Vienna Convention. This text requires the Member States requiring this type of symbol to recognise the European symbol as well. (Brussels, 06/11/1998 Agence Europe)

If a farmer say, or a builder, inadvertently puts mud on the road it is an offence to display a warning "mud on the road" sign unless it is an EC approved red triangular sign. (The Farmer Sept 1989)

The "end of life " vehicles directive is intended to improve the recycling of cars. A certificate of destruction would have to be produced confirming that all spare parts have been removed before destruction could take place. Carmakers are complaining about the proposed targets for how much material ought to be re-used. The directive will spell the end of cheap spares by obliging old bikes to be handed in by their owners ( Justus Lipsius - European 7/9/98). Up to 1,000 small businesses would be put at risk if the proposal became law but the Commission is sticking to its guns (European Voice 10/9/98).

Many countries have introduced policies or tax incentives that encourage the scrapping of old cars so that they can be replaced by more efficient modern cars. It is claimed that this will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. But no account had been taken of the fact that new cars are heavier and more powerful than older ones. Nor had the effect of the energy used in scrapping and the emissions released in car manufacture been factored into the equation. The calculation found that reducing the average age of cars in the Netherlands by three years would increase CO2 emissions by 4% overall. (New Scientist 12/2/00)

Motorcycles are already comprehensively recycled. The Council of Ministers is willing to except two and three wheeled vehicles from the "End of Life" directive. (BMF Campaigner Autumn 1999)

The German environment minister has proposed that motorcycle parking in residential areas should be banned ( Justus Lipsius - European 7/9/98)

Iceland has no railways but the EU insisted they legislate as though they had. This message was received from an ex-member of parliament, Anna Björnsson: "I can certainly answer this question, since I was myself a parliamentarian at that time. And yes, it is true, we had to adopt all the same rules on railways etc. since we are a part of the EEA, the European Economic Area. It was of course total waste of the Parliament's time and a laughing stock". (Personal communication 26/8/98)

Cut-price parallel import motorbikes are threatened by the European Court ban on imports of branded goods without the maker’s permission. Parallels account for a third of new bike sales and are sold up to 30% cheaper. Many come from the USA and Japan. (Motorcycle News 22/7/98). Honda has taken parallel import dealers to court for selling their products without permission. Dealer's stock could be confiscated. (Motor Cycle News 2/12/98). The Advocate General made a statement in a similar case, involving shoes, making it clear that the law was against parallel imports. The man who drew up the legislation in the first place said it was never intended to help big firms like Honda stem the tide of parallel imports. It was designed to prevent forgeries of luxury goods. (Motor Cycle News 31/3/99)

The European Court of Justice ruled that a £2 billion subsidy given to Air France was illegal and breached EU competition rules. The European Commission decided to allow Air France to retain the subsidy that it used to upgrade its fleet of aircraft. Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock proposed retention. British Airways, which gets no subsidies, is planning to appeal against the Commission decision. BA was particularly incensed that the Competition Commissioner who had placed onerous conditions on its link with American Airlines voted in favour of Air France. (D Telegraph 23/7/98)

It seems that the Government has formally advised insurance companies to write off rather than repair cars damaged in accidents, if they use leaded petrol. Why should we care? Well, one reason is that more pollution is created in making a new car than the car itself generates in the whole of its working life. Therefore to scrap an otherwise usable car, whose manufacturing pollution has already been caused, and thereby generate at the top of the food chain, more demand for new cars and the pollution, let alone the raw materials associated with their manufacture is harmful, not helpful, to our environment. Yet again - the law of unintended consequences. It was the EU that forced in the ban on leaded petrol, although there was no scientific basis for it, and although unleaded petrol contains carcinogenic substances and burns less efficiently. (Eurofaq posting IF 7/11/00)

Four star leaded petrol will be discontinued by the year 2,000. This will deprive owners of vintage and classic cars of the fuel they need to run their vehicles. (Petrol company memo 6/96). It could also stop historic aircraft, such as the Spitfire, from flying and historic boats from sailing. (Federation of Historic Vehicle Societies). The cost to oil companies will be GBP70bn and add GBP5bn to motoring costs. (S Telegraph 16/3/97). Oil companies, however, are not resisting the measure because unleaded fuel is less efficient so they will sell about 10% more petrol (R North 7/11/97). The historic vehicle movement is worth GBP1.6n a year and is under constant attack by the EU through a multitude of regulations. The business employs 25,000 people. (D Telegraph 15/11/97). All surviving pre-1977 cars are vulnerable, more than 7 million. Many are owned by low-income people living in rural areas who cannot afford modern vehicles. They also have no public transport to fall back on.-Ed. (Small amounts of leaded petrol will be available for vintage car events.). Leaded petrol is still freely available in France and Spain depite the ban! (Eurofaq posting 5/3/00)

Users of unleaded petrol may face a rise in taxation to compensate a £500 million fall in Treasury revenue when EU regulations banning leaded fuel come into effect. This income comes from the 10% surcharge on leaded fuel. (D Telegraph 2/12/98)

As a driver of older cars I am concerned that MIRA's March 1999 report on fuel additives seems flawed, misleading and over-optimistic, as indeed have been some magazine articles since. Having been present at the FBHVC meeting when the results were announced, I can confirm that no one converted results specified in mm/70 hours into what we would all have understood - thou/1000 miles. I am astonished that MIRA considers acceptable Valve Seat Removal of 0.3mm/70 hours, equivalent to 12 thou in 5,000 miles or 1.2 thou for a decent weekend tour. To many of us this would mean re-setting tappet clearances every month, re-grinding every year and worse, or scrapping irreplaceable or extremely expensive heads that can not accept inserts after 20,000 miles or so. To take one example, a professional's bill to remove an Alvis Speed 25 head, regrind and replace would exceed £600, assuming there is enough 60-year old metal left to resurface. If not, the bill would exceed £2,000, assuming a head can be bought, and this every 2 or 3 years for some enthusiasts. The MIRA results show that unleaded fuel with no device or additive produced VSR of nearly 1mm, whereas four-star resulted in only 0.001mm. But 1mm is 40 thou, compared to typical valve clearances of 6 thou! This implies (though is not to my knowledge stated by MIRA) that clearances must have been reset 5 or 6 times during this test simply to keep the engine running! (Later note - this is in fact confirmed in the test procedure) (Letter in Alvis Owners Club Bulletin 1/5/99 by I Francis)

The replacement for 4 star petrol is causing a lot of breakdowns. Green Flag breakdown service said it had caused 23% increase in calls. (Watchdog BBC 1 TV 16/12/99)

Some interesting stories are appearing in the marine world regarding outboards using Lead Replacement Petrol: after six weeks or storage in an outboard tank something, presumably the sodium, is settling out and leaving a deposit, which gums up the fuel lines. If mixed with oil for two strokes it will not store for more than a fortnight. This would seem to, or for that matter any car that is not regularly used.(Eurofaq posting B&A W 3/1/00)

The Civil Aviation Authority has issued a notice stating that aircraft that were previously permitted to use Motor Gasoline, four-star leaded motor fuel, are forbidden from using so-called "lead replacement" fuels in aircraft engines. (CAA Airworthiness Notice 98C Dated Oct 20 1999)

Diesel fumes contain the most carcinogenic compound, nitro-PAH, ever discovered. Diesel fumes are believed to cause 10,000 deaths in the UK. (D Telegraph 11/97)

It is reported that the New Zealand government is about reverse its policy on banning leaded petrol, because it now recognises that unleaded petrol, with all its toxic additives, is less safe to use. (S Telegraph 21/6/98)

A decision on whether to allow Spain, Greece and Italy to continue selling leaded petrol in 2000 has been delayed by the Commission. They requested exemptions for three to five years. (European Voice 18/11/99). The government could have asked for a derogation to allow leaded petrol to be used for longer - Ed

A complex system of safety standards for towbars laid down in EC 94/20 was introduced at a few months’ notice. Small firms, such as Anker of Warwickshire (turnover £500,000) will have to invest £100,000 in new equipment to comply. Each of their 250 towbar types will have to be tested by the Vehicle Certification Agency at a cost of £1,000 per test. This will add nothing to safety because the towbars already comply with British Safety standards. The UK government has gold plated the rules by insisting on compliance with all existing models, not as in Germany, just to new models. Most countries have no plans to implement the directive at all. The standards adopted by the EC are those already in force in Holland and Belgium. A Dutch and a Belgium firm have opened factories in England to sell their products. (S Telegraph 21/6/98). The reason why German standards were adopted is that the British delegation to the discussions missed the crucial meeting because of an air strike. (Eurofacts 7/8/98)

The Commission is compiling rules to harmonise the banning of night-time flights to eradicate competition between airports. The main group to suffer will be air couriers. (European Voice

The Euro-style British passport is to be redesigned because it is too easy to forge. (D Telegraph 11/5/98)

The Commission has issued regulations to standardise the size of traffic signs. Chancellor Kohl said this was absurd!! (FT 19/6/98)

EC Regulation 881/92 allows lorry drivers from Europe to ply for trade in the UK. This is causing concern among our own drivers because they pay up to six times more excise duty and 50% more for road diesel. Fuel is 36% of cost. Continental drivers can bid for contracts using cheap fuel. The Road Haulage Association expects 8,000 British drivers will lose their jobs this year and 22,000 by 2002. (S Telegraph 14/6/98)

Disqualified drivers faced being banned from every road in the EU under plans being discussed in Brussels. Member states are said to be close to agreeing an EU wide disqualification scheme. The difficulty is that drivers can be disqualified for lengthy periods in one country for an offence that would not even be against the law in another or might attract a much lower penalty. (Daily Telegraph 19 March 1998). Bans will apply to countries with similar laws on motoring offences. Licensing authorities in all EU member states will be routinely notified of national driving bans. It will then be up to the country concerned whether to apply a ban on its roads, and for how long. (D Telegraph 29/5/98)

EU proposals will force car manufacturers "voluntarily" to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in two ways. A set level of 140g of CO2 emissions per kilometre, or reducing CO2 emissions across all models by 20% of 1995 levels by 2008. Large carmakers will be able to average emissions across their range. Ford will accommodate Jaguar but independents like Porsche would be absolutely out of business. Porsche said they would have to look into other fuels like methane, fuel cells, or maybe diesel. Specialist independent sports cars make a tiny proportion of all emissions but will be exterminated by the new proposals. (Telegraph Motoring 7/3/98). Polluting gasses will have to be reduced by 70% on average over 15 years. From 2000 new models will have to undergo durability tests after 5 years or 50,000 miles rising to 62,000 miles by 2005. The proposals are subject to ratification by the EU Parliament and 15 member states. (FT 1/7/98). The motor industry will have to pay far more than the oil industry to meet the new regulations because the sulphur limits have been set higher than the car makers and environmentalists requested. (European 6/7/98). A deal between car makers and the EU was approved to reduce emissions to 120g per kilometre by 2010 (FT 7/10/98)

EU proposals to end a manufacturer's exclusive rights to sell cars through their own dealerships will shake up the industry. Sainsbury's could sell BMW's. (BBC Top Gear 31/10/97)

Mr Kinnock wants the EU to introduce a new strike tax that could be imposed on member states that allow industrial disputes to close borders and halt freight traffic. The EU Commissioner for the Internal Market and Transport, Mario Monti, said the Council of Ministers also needed to "streamline" the powers currently available to the commission to speed up action. He said at present if a case were to be brought against France it could take two to three years to reach the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. (BBC Internet News 4/11/97). A meeting of internal market ministers declined to grant the Commission the power to intervene when sudden disruptions to the internal market occur, such as strikes. (FT 16/2/98)

Leeds school children accompanying French pupils on an exchange visit were turned off a French bus because EEC regulations forbid taking aboard foreigners on closed door tours. (CEC). The CEC say this EC rule will be abolished in 1996.

Liberalisation of taxi services will threaten the London taxi cabs. The CEC say this is under review.

EU governments are considering whether the proposed limits on transport workers hours should apply to self-employed drivers. Italy, Portugal and the UK, whose drivers travel longer distances to deliver goods across Europe, are said to oppose restrictions on self-employed drivers. Commissioner Flynn's proposals are that truck drivers would not be allowed to more than 60 hours per week. (European Voice 25 March 1999)

A European Commission move to order British taxi drivers to work shorter shifts will force many cabs off the streets in the early hours. Neil Kinnock, the transport commissioner, wants taxi drivers in the European Union, along with other transport workers, to be subject to regulations similar to those adopted in the European working time directive. This imposes a maximum 48-hour working week on employees and a cap on the hours on night-time shifts. The average British taxi driver presently works a sixty hour week. The (Licensed Taxi Drivers Association April 1999)

Bull Bars fitted to the front of vehicles may be responsible for 175 accident deaths. The Minister of Transport said if he could he would ban these without hesitation. He could not do this, however, because the EU granted type approval to these accessories (Independent 20/4/95). The EU has formed a committee on aggressive bull bars but any regulation will only apply to new vehicles (Guardian 16/7/96 p16). Bull bars are banned from new cars sold in the European Union after 1 January 2002, writes the Financial Times. This is a voluntary agreement with the car industry approved by the EU governments on Monday. (Euobserver.com 29/11/01) 

The EU has now ruled that seat belts will be fitted to coaches by 2002.

Fuel vapour recovery regulations to force 100's of small rural garages out of business. (BBC R4) The CEC say garages will have nine years to implement the rules and the cost will not be high. The cost of a full dispenser based system, however, will be GBP25,000 and must be installed by 2004 (Times 29/9/94). Most of the 4,000 rural garages selling petrol in gallons may be forced to close because it is illegal to use Imperial measures. Once petrol pumps are changed then the full force of new Health & Safety standards are also enforced. These are completely uneconomic for rural garages to implement (Observer 1/10/95)

The Harmonised Bus Construction Directive will make it illegal to manufacture and sell the UK style double-decker bus. Several rules will be virtually impossible to meet with double deckers. For example, the bulk of the accommodation will be for standing passengers, the number of seats will be cut by 25%, so disabled and elderly passengers will have to go upstairs, there will have to be two staircases, etc. (D Mail 15/8/94). Amendments to the Eurobus specification may save our double-deckers (CEC Sept 95) but many ludicrous regulations remain. (S Telegraph 12/11/95). The provision of two doors has been abandoned by UK bus makers because of accidents to passengers out of the driver's sight. A derogation to 2005 is a fudge say the British bus operators (FT 1/11/96).The UK is forbidden to export its double deckers to other EU countries

Changes in driving licenses are directed against small businesses. At present any licence holder can drive a lorry up to 7.5 tonnes in weight without having to have an HGV licence. EU regulations on Heavy Goods Vehicles, now called Large Goods Vehicles, lower the limit to 3.5 tonnes. The new rules are a serious problem for small traders and DIY house movers who can hire a 7.5 tonne truck whenever they want. Now they will be prevented, or forced to take the expensive LGV licence. Truck hire firms will have many 7.5 tonne trucks which they cannot hire out any more (Country Landowner June 95). From July 1996 new drivers will have to pass separate test to drive a small van, or minibus, the car test will no longer be sufficient (DVLC 2/1/96). Many small businesses start with a van, now they will have the extra impediment of obtaining another driving licence.

17-seater minibuses are much favoured by schools and sports clubs. The EU directive on weight limits states that a vehicle over 3.5 tonnes can only be driven by a person with a full PCV licence. A 17-seater filled with children is no problem but if it carries 16 rugby players then it will exceed the weight limit. (Advanced Driving summer 1988)

Diabetics are banned by the EU in directive 91/439 from driving anything bigger than 9 person mini-buses and any vehicle over 3.5 tonnes. Insurance companies confirm that diabetics pose no more risk than anyone else does. (S Telegraph 21/12/97). The British Diabetic Association is gravely concerned at the Government's decision to implement a discretionary EU directive. 350,000 would be affected and many would lose their jobs. The range of insulins now available allowed diabetics to lead active healthy lives (Telegraph 7/1/98). The ban applies to newly diagnosed drivers. Other diabetics face the ban when they renew their licences. The UK ban is a particularly harsh interpretation of a new EU ruling. Elsewhere in Europe it is less strictly applied, so truckers from Holland and Sweden, if they are insulin treated diabetics, can still bring their fully laden "artics" into Britain. (Advanced Driving summer 1998). New regulations will allow diabetics to drive vans from 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes subject to annual health check-ups. (MMM June 2001) Driver licensing in Great Britain is governed by the second EC Directive on the driving licence. The Directive requires member states to ensure that the licences of drivers with insulin treated diabetes are regularly reviewed. On the advice of the Secretary of State's Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Driving and Diabetes (which comprises eminent physicians, active in the field) the licences of such drivers are limited to one, two or three years' duration. In line with the Advisory Panel's advice, exceptional arrangements do exist for drivers of category C1 vehicles (between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes) who meet a series of strict criteria. (e-mail from Drivers Policy Group of Dept Transport 22/3/02)

From July 1996 lorry drivers will have to pass a new eyesight test. They will not be allowed to wear glasses or contact lenses and must read letters at 10 feet. Failure will result in loss of their HGV/LGV licence. Thousands of drivers will lose their jobs. (D Mail 19/2/96). This directive has not been implemented elsewhere so foreign drivers wearing glasses will be allowed to drive in the UK (D Mail 11/3/96). The eyesight test will not now be applied to existing drivers, only new ones (D Mail 19/6/96)

All crane drivers will have to have a Large Goods Vehicle driving licence from 1998. This is to bring the UK into line with EU regulations. About 3,000 crane operators are without a current LGV licence. Training, loss time and medical fees will cost the Construction and Plant Hire industry GBP6m. The LGV test is quite meaningless for crane drivers whose vehicles cannot exceed 25 miles per hour. (FT 10/2/97)

EC Directive 91/439 stipulates that all driving licenses must have a photo of the driver. The UK has to comply (S Telegraph 14/8/94). The directive also disallows any national symbols, e.g. the Union Jack, on the license. It must carry the " Ring of Stars" with a two-letter identification, such as UK. (Sunday Telegraph 21/12/97) (FFP) Dr Richard North had to apply for a new driving licence. When it arrived, he saw that it was a standard "EU driving licence", as ordered by directive 91.439, with the British crown replaced by the Brussels ring of stars. In disgust he tore it up and applied to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing A