51994AC0748

Opinion on the amended proposal for a Council Directive on admission to the occupation of road haulage operator and road passenger transport operator and mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications intended to facilitate for these operators the right to freedom of establishment in national and international transport operations (consolidated text) (94/C 295/07)

On 11 February 1994, the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 75 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the abovementioned proposal.

The Section for Transport and Communications, which was responsible for preparing the Committee`s work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 11 May 1994. The Rapporteur was Mr Decaillon.

At its 316th Plenary Session (meeting of 1 June 1994), the Economic and Social Committee unanimously adopted the following Opinion.

1. On 9 July 1991, the Council decided, under Article 75 of the Treaty establishing the EC, to ask the Economic and Social Committee to issue an Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive on admission to the occupation of road haulage operator and road passenger transport operator respectively in national and international transport operations.

2. The proposal sought to produce a consolidated version of Directives 74/561/EEC and 74/562/EEC and the modifications thereto since 1974.

3. In its Opinion (OJ No 91/C 339/04) the Committee had approved the idea of combining the two aforementioned Directives into a single Directive.

4. Following comments from Luxembourg on 29 January 1992, the Commission issued an amended proposal embracing Council Directive 77/796/EEC on the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications for goods haulage operators and road passenger transport operators, including measures intended to encourage these operators effectively to exercise their right to freedom of establishment.

This is a legislative consolidation insofar as the new Directive will supersede the various Directives involved.

5. The Committee approves the amended proposal which fully respects the substance of the consolidated instruments and therefore merely combines them and makes only the formal alterations required by the actual consolidation process.

6. With regard to background, the Committee refers to the comments on this subject in its Opinion (CES 565/88) on the amendments proposed by the Council in 1988.

7. In the event of a future revision of the Directive, the Commission might consider the possible inclusion of vehicles under 3.5 tonnes.

Done at Brussels, 1 June 1994.

The Chairman

of the Economic and Social Committee

Susanne TIEMANN