EC proposes harmonizing dangerous goods transport rules

EC proposes harmonizing dangerous goods transport rules The European Union is considering harmonizing rules for the transport of dangerous goods by making them as user-friendly as possible.
   The new proposal before the European Commission would integrate existing rules into one piece of EU law that would cover road, rail and inland waterway transport.
   Jacques Barrot, European Commissioner for transport, said “a billion tons of dangerous goods are transported annually in the territory of the EU. Transport operators on road, rail and inland waterways are carrying cargos under different sets of rules. Today’s multi-modal transport needs harmonized rules, which render transport operations safer, faster and cheaper and reduce administrative work by all participants.”
   In a press release the commission said EU law on transport of dangerous goods “already covers road and rail transport, but in many separate, partly outdated sets of rules.”
   The proposal would recast them in one set of rules, and also cover inland waterway transport for which no EU rules exist.