Oversize trucks

The EP is set to challenge a controversial decision by EU transport Commissioner Siim Kallas to push forward with proposals to reverse current EU policy on heavier and longer trucks (Directive 96/53/EC) without involving the European Parliament and Council as co-legislators. The Commissioner wants to overturn provisions of EU legislation banning the cross-border operation of so-called gigaliners. Cross-party MEPs on the European Parliament's transport committee last night decided to call for the legal assessment of the Commission's plans (1), as a first step to challenging the changes. Commenting on the decision and the Commission's plans, Green transport spokesperson Michael Cramer (Germany) said:

"The Commission's attempt to reverse EU policy on gigaliners by the backdoor is scandalous. The European Parliament will not stand by and allow the Commission to introduce such a fundamental change to current EU policy by circumventing the democratic process. Current legislation can only be amended through a standard legislative procedure, involving the Parliament and the Council as co-legislators. The EP transport committee has now taken the first steps to address this by verifying the legality of and the legal recourse for challenging the decision.

“The Commission's role is to defend the treaties and EU legislation, and not to fundamentally change the nature of legislation without recourse to the democratic decision-making process. This move will also create additional legal uncertainty. Instead of continuing on a collision course with the EP, the Commission should withdraw its backdoor plans."

(1) Following cross-party agreement, the transport committee will send a letter to EP president Schulz asking him to refer the issue to the EP's legal affairs committee to verify that the EP's prerogative as a co-legislator has been undermined by the Commission's plans, and what legal recourse is available.