VEHICLES : COMMISSION SHELVES ISSUE OF GIGALINERS.

The European Commission will propose in the coming weeks an update of legislation on maximum weight and dimensions of trucks circulating in the EU (Directive 96/53/EC). Is the aim to clear things up on the giant trucks of up to 60 tonnes known as gigaliners? No, because the proposal no longer addresses that issue at all. That may anger members of the European Parliament, who asked the Commission to clarify what is permitted or not with gigaliners as part of this revision.

A controversy shook the transport sector in June 2012 when Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas interpreted Directive 96/53 as permitting gigaliners to cross the border between two member states that authorise these vehicles on their territory. Up until then, it was generally considered that these trucks were only allowed to circulate nationally. Over and above the substantive issue, MEPs were angry over the way the matter was handled, arguing that their right of co-decision had been disregarded. EP President Martin Schulz got involved and the matter was referred to Jose Manuel Barroso, but nothing changed and in the meantime MEPs have been awaiting the formal revision of the directive to have a say on the circulation of gigaliners. But now the Commission has decided not to address the question, which may pose a problem to the Committee on Transport (TRAN) and its fiery Chair, Brian Simpson (S&D, UK).

MORE AERODYNAMIC VEHICLES

What is left in the proposal? The draft seen by...