91997E3562

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3562/97 by Allan Macartney (ARE) to the Commission (13 November 1997)

Subject: French lorry and fishing-boat blockades - compensation for affected road hauliers still not forthcoming

Compensation for road hauliers who were adversely affected by the blockades carried out by French lorry drivers and fishing boats is still urgently awaited. Given the importance of compensation to the survival of the road haulage firms affected, does the European Commission intend to take positive action to secure an immediate response from the French authorities?

Further, is the Commission aware of any steps the French Government has taken recently to ensure that the Prefectures dealing with the claims are doing so in an expeditious and efficient manner?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (20 January 1998)

As the Honourable Member will know, the Commission has no legal authority to intervene in compensation cases arising from the blockades in France since compensation arrangements are established and governed by national law.

However, the French authorities have been reminded both in writing and in personal interventions by the responsible members of the Commission of the need to ensure appropriate compensation for those road hauliers directly affected.

The French authorities have also agreed to provide a detailed report to the Commission on how claims are progressing. Moreover, prior to a meeting convened by the Commission on 23 September 1997 with representatives of road hauliers whose compensation claims were still outstanding, a French delegation met the Commission to set out how their authorities were dealing with the claims. The Commission has subsequently also indicated to the French authorities the nature of complaints received regarding processing of compensation claims, asking them to take these into account and report on progress.

The French authorities indicated that they had issued three circulars to Prefectures setting out how such claims were to be processed. A team had also been set up within the Ministry of the Interior to ensure that any problems with processing claims within the Prefectures could be resolved.

The Commission will continue to make representations, taking into account the undertakings given publicity by members of the French Government to their counterparts in other Member States.