ESC, freight forwarders decry EU decision

ESC, freight forwarders decry EU decision

Sorgetti

   European shipper and freight forwarder representative bodies expressed dismay at a decision Thursday by European Union parliamentary members over whether individual states in the EU have the right to charge transportation congestion fees.
   EU ministers in Brussels ratified the so-called Eurovignette III directive, a policy roadmap to green transportation continent-wide. The European Shippers’ Council, along with a handful of other advocate groups, have said the new policy will only add cost to freight transportation in Europe without solving congestion or pollution problems.
   “The vote has maintained that member states can charge for congestion without any further text on a methodology, leaving it completely free for member states to do what they want,” the shippers’ council and the European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistic and Customs Services said in a joint statement. “This will effectively encourage member states to use congestion as a source of revenue.”
   “This result demonstrates either a lack of understanding of the freight transport and logistics industry and how supply chains actually work, or else Parliament hopes to rush through legislation before the economic conditions become so bad that such proposals would not even see the light of day,” said Marco Sorgetti, director general of the European association for freight forwarders, known as CLECAT. “This result is very disappointing for all those who understand the vital role of logistics in the economy.'

van der Jagt

   Nicolette van der Jagt, secretary general of the ESC, said the decision was “shocking.
   “Road freight users already pay the costs of congestion,” she said. “The costs of delay alone can provide sufficient incentive to at least look for alternatives. The cost of additional fuel consumption caused by slow moving, stop-start conditions in itself contributes towards the external costs through fuel taxation. Therefore the report adopted in the European Parliament means nothing more than an increase in charges for road transport.
   “Industry does believe that there is a need to reduce the costs of congestion, noise and accidents. These priorities are best achieved by tackling the causes of each rather than purely finding a cure for the symptoms once the damage is done,' she said. ' Eric Johnson