Representatives of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) and the Vida trade union came to Brussels to demand more effective actions against illegal cabotage.
The Department of Transport and Communications of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and the Vida trade union jointly declared war on illegal cabotage operations in Austria. According to the German transport industry website verkehrsrundschau.de at the beginning of March Austrians presented their perspective on current problems in road transport the meeting of the European Commission, the European Parliament and representatives of other Member States.
What do Austrians demand?
WKÖ and Vida and called on the Commission and the European Parliament to:
- create a clear definition of cabotage
- introduce common numbered control charts for cabotage transport for all Member States
- tighten control of such transport throughout the EU
- classify law infringement regarding cabotage as serious infringement
Klacska also believes that as long as economic and social conditions in the European transport are not not equalled, even the smallest liberalisation of cabotage-regulating laws is unacceptable.
The scale of the problem in Austria
Both Alexander and Karl Defs from the Vida union cited the WKÖ report data in Brussels. According to them cabotage transport represents 20% of the national transport in Austria. On the other hand, 15% of cabotage operations is carried out illegally. It can be said therefore that approx. 3% of the whole national transport is done while law is broken. Austrians estimate that damages resulting from these unfair practices are 500 million euros per year.
Photo: images.volvotrucks.com
