Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-04-11-Speech-1-150"
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"en.20050411.18.1-150"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to start by saying that I have listened carefully to your various speeches. I do not need to stress, Mr Markov - and some of you have emphasised this - that we do not want to legislate just for the sake of it. This is about road safety. There are still large numbers of deaths on the roads throughout Europe, and we must be very aware of that. We also need fair competition among hauliers, and we need to consider those hauliers and their working life. I am among those who believe that, when a job is performed in accordance with a certain number of rules, this also enables the worker to give his best and often to be more efficient.
I would add, and I would like to stress this point somewhat, that, if we agree to a delay in the introduction of digital tachographs, we leave ourselves open to legal action from those in the relevant professions who are ready. As for catalytic converters, it is true that there was not yet any final legal decision, but they were nevertheless put in place as soon as industry supplied them. In my opinion, there are times when the European Union must take the lead.
I am very concerned to be realistic and to respect our industries, but I sincerely believe that another delay would not be good for anyone. That is why I have been listening very carefully to your comments on this point. That is what I wanted to say, Mr President. I would like to thank Parliament and I am reminded again of how advantageous it is to be able to have a dialogue between the Council and Parliament. This, it seems to me, is how we will end up with balanced and enforceable legislation.
First of all, I would like to return to a general idea shared, I think, by many of you: that it is not enough to define rights, but that we must also create the conditions within which these rights can be exercised. In other words, we must pay great attention to the enforceability of the rules. The rules need to be enforceable, because they must be enforced. That is very important.
Our discussion has focused in particular on two subjects: vehicles weighing less than 3.5 tonnes. The Commission is prepared to examine this issue in depth. If you wish, I will suggest that we include a
clause to see how we can respond, if need be, to any needs it may seem necessary to meet. I believe that, in this field, we need to act intelligently and pragmatically. If we need to go further, Mr Markov, I am not saying no
but we do need to see the scope of these rules.
I have listened with attention to some of you, in particular authors of amendments such as Mr Grosch and Mr Jarzembowski, regarding the problem of tachographs. It is a problem that may give rise to debate, I realise, but I would like to give you some specific details that may help you to understand better why the Commission remains very keen for this system to be implemented rapidly.
I would remind you that Article 2 of Regulation No 2135/98, which introduces the digital tachograph, specifies that vehicles put into service for the first time more than two years after the publication of the technical specifications will have to be fitted with digital tachographs. The technical specifications were published on 5 August 2002, and the date for entry into force was set, in the normal way, at 5 August 2004.
As digital tachograph manufacturers were unable to supply the equipment in time, however, my predecessor, Mrs de Palacio, quite rightly introduced a moratorium laying down transitional measures for the Member States and delaying the compulsory installation of digital tachographs in new lorries until 5 August 2005. The Council insisted on confirming this date in the legal text on driving time and rest periods.
To the Commission, the date of 5 August 2005 already represents a delay of a year compared to the planned deadline. I think we need, and I am saying this in all sincerity, to send a clear signal to the industry and to the Member States. That is why we want to reach, as far as possible, rapid agreement on the draft directive and regulation before you today.
On the technical level - because we need to ensure that everything is ready in this regard too - I would like to remind you of certain facts. Type-approval certificates for digital tachographs were granted to ACTIA in June 2004, to VDO Siemens in October 2004 and to several card manufacturers. A card security system has been set up by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre. TACHOnet, a system that makes it possible to ensure that each driver has only one driver card, has been in operation since August 2004.
All the main vehicle manufacturers have started to test the digital tachograph in their vehicles and may be ready before the introduction deadline of August 2005. A tachograph manufacturer whom I myself met told me that he was able to supply the required number of tachographs to vehicle manufacturers between now and May 2005. Training programmes are currently being drawn up for drivers and transport operators, and the Member States are cooperating to provide similar courses for their enforcement personnel."@en1
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