Activities of the Conference : Resolutions of the Council of Ministers of Transport and Reports approved in 1998

314 Pages·1999·1.462 MB·English

by  OECD

45th Annual Report - 1998
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EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT
45th Annual Report
ACTIVITIES OF THE CONFERENCE
RESOLUTIONS OF THE COUNCIL
OF MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT
AND REPORTS APPROVED IN 1998
EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT (ECMT)
The European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) is an inter-governmental organisation
established by a Protocol signed in Brussels on 17 October 1953. It is a forum in which Ministers responsible for
transport, and more specifically the inland transport sector, can co-operate on policy. Within this forum, Ministers
can openly discuss current problems and agree upon joint approaches aimed at improving the utilisation and at
ensuring the rational development of European transport systems of international importance.
At present, the ECMT’s role primarily consists of:
– helping to create an integrated transport system throughout the enlarged Europe that is economically and
technically efficient, meets the highest possible safety and environmental standards and takes full account
of the social dimension;
– helping also to build a bridge between the European Union and the rest of the continent at a political
level.
The Council of the Conference comprises the Ministers of Transport of 39 full Member countries: Albania,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, FYR Macedonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, the
Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. There are
five Associate member countries (Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the United States) and three
Observer countries (Armenia, Liechtenstein and Morocco).
A Committee of Deputies, composed of senior civil servants representing Ministers, prepares proposals for
consideration by the Council of Ministers. The Committee is assisted by working groups, each of which has a
specific mandate.
The issues currently being studied – on which policy decisions by Ministers will be required – include the
development and implementation of a pan-European transport policy; the integration of Central and Eastern
European Countries into the European transport market; specific issues relating to transport by rail, road and
waterway; combined transport; transport and the environment; the social costs of transport; trends in international
transport and infrastructure needs; transport for people with mobility handicaps; road safety; traffic management;
road traffic information and new communications technologies.
Statistical analyses of trends in traffic and investment are published regularly by the ECMT and provide a
clear indication of the situation, on a trimestrial or annual basis, in the transport sector in different European
countries.
As part of its research activities, the ECMT holds regular Symposia, Seminars and Round Tables on
transport economics issues. Their conclusions are considered by the competent organs of the Conference under
the authority of the Committee of Deputies and serve as a basis for formulating proposals for policy decisions to
be submitted to Ministers.
The ECMT’s Documentation Service has extensive information available concerning the transport sector.
This information is accessible on the ECMT Internet site.
For administrative purposes the ECMT’s Secretariat is attached to the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Publie´ en franc¸ais sous le titre :
45e Rapport Annuel
ACTIVITE´S DE LA CONFE´RENCE
Re´solutions du Conseil des Ministres des Transports et rapports approuve´s en 1998
Further information about the ECMT is available on Internet at the following address:
http://www.oecd.org/cem/
 ECMT 1999
ECMT Publications are distributed by:
OECD Publications Service,
2, rue Andre´ Pascal, 75775 PARIS CEDEX 16, France.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Outline of the Structure and Proceedings of the Conference.......................................................................... 7
Part One
ECMT ACTIVITIES
Chapter I. QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST............................................................................ 11
A. The Millennium Bug...................................................................................................................... 11
B. Policy approach to internalising the external costs of transport.................................................... 11
C. Current trade and transport flows between Europe and Asia........................................................ 12
Chapter II. ACTIVITIES IN PARTICULAR FIELDS............................................................................. 14
A. Integration of Central and Eastern European countries................................................................. 14
B. Investment in transport infrastructure............................................................................................ 17
C. Railways.......................................................................................................................................... 19
D. Road Transport............................................................................................................................... 19
E. Combined Transport....................................................................................................................... 21
F. Transport and the Environment...................................................................................................... 22
G. Road Safety..................................................................................................................................... 23
H. Transport for People with Mobility Handicaps............................................................................. 23
Chapter III. ECONOMIC RESEARCH, STATISTICS AND DOCUMENTATION.............................. 26
A. Economic Research........................................................................................................................ 26
B. Statistics.......................................................................................................................................... 39
C. Documentation and Information.................................................................................................... 41
Chapter IV. EXTERNAL RELATIONS..................................................................................................... 43
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Part Two
TRENDS IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR 1970-1997
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 47
TRENDS IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR IN WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES........................ 48
Freight Transport ........................................................................................................................................... 50
Passenger Transport ....................................................................................................................................... 56
Road Accidents ............................................................................................................................................ 57
TRENDS IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR IN THE ECMT COUNTRIES IN TRANSITION .............. 61
General Situation ........................................................................................................................................... 61
Freight Transport ........................................................................................................................................... 67
Passenger Transport ....................................................................................................................................... 73
Road Accidents ............................................................................................................................................ 74
Part Three
RESOLUTION APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL OF
MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT IN 1998
Resolution No. 98/1 -- The Policy Approach to Internalising the External Costs of Transport........ 83
RECOMMENDATIONS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL OF
MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT IN 1998
Recommendation on Visas for Professional Drivers................................................................................... 89
Recommendation on Vulnerable Road Users: Pedestrians.......................................................................... 91
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REPORTS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
OF TRANSPORT IN 1998
Summary of Principal Rail Policy Issues..................................................................................................... 97
Modern Technology in Transport: Progress Report on Implementation................................................. 105
Modern Technology in Transport: Policy Issues for Discussion............................................................... 156
Development of the Multilateral Quota...................................................................................................... 158
Note on the Social Aspects of Road Transport...................................................................................... 163
Conclusions and Recommendations on the Current State of Combined Transport in Europe.............. 165
Legislation to Improve Access to Transport for People with Mobility Handicaps............................... 169
Consultative Arrangements concerning Transport for People with Mobility Handicaps...................... 261
ANNEXES
I. ECMT Organisation Chart................................................................................................................. 279
II. Press Release after 82nd Session of the Council of Ministers in Copenhagen................................ 280
III. List of ECMT Member countries showing the year of accession.................................................... 288
IV. List of Officers of the ECMT............................................................................................................ 290
V. List of Delegates at the Copenhagen Session................................................................................... 291
VI. List of International Organisations with consultative status in ECMT............................................ 305
VII. Report to the Governments’ Parties to Eurofima’s Convention....................................................... 309
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INTRODUCTION
OUTLINE OF THE STRUCTURE AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE
As the Organisation Chart in Annex I shows, apart from the Council of Ministers itself and its
Committee of Deputies, the Conference has two types of working unit, and the following were active
in 1998:
Permanent Groups
-- Economic Research
-- International Co-operation in Transport Economics Documentation (ICTED)
-- Group of Expert Statisticians
Ad Hoc Groups
-- Integration of New Member States
-- Transport and Environment
-- Trends in International Traffic
-- Investment in Transport Infrastructure
-- Task Force on the Social Costs of Transport
-- Railways
-- Combined Transport
-- Road Transport
-- Road Safety
-- Transport for People with Mobility Handicaps
-- Fiscal and Financial Distortions in Transport Markets
At the end of 1997, the Group on “Traffic Management and Road Traffic Information” was wound
up. Also, in 1998, after completing its mandate, the “Task Force on Social Costs of Transport” ceased to
function. The activities of the two other groups: “Trends in International Transport and “Trends in
Infrastructure Investment” were suspended and will be resumed later.
The reports produced by these Groups are considered by the Committee of Deputies and, once
approved, are submitted to the Council of Ministers.
In accordance with the new system introduced in 1997, the chairmanship of the ECMT is no
longer rotated at the beginning of each calendar year but in the middle of the year. Thus, during the
first half of 1998, the Conference was chaired by the Danish Minister of Transport, assisted in the
context of the Bureau of the Council of Ministers by the Polish Minister of Transport and Maritime
Economy (First Vice-Chairman) and the Czech Minister of Transport and Communications (Second
Vice-Chairman). In the second half of the year, the Bureau of the Council of Ministers comprised the
Polish Minister (Chairman) and the Czech Minister (First Vice-Chairman), together with the
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Portuguese Minister of Infrastructure, Planning and Territorial Administration (new Second
Vice-Chairman). The purpose of this new arrangement is to enable the Chairmen to prepare the
Spring session of the Council of Ministers more efficiently and to ensure greater continuity in their
work over time.
The Council of Ministers held its 82nd Session in Copenhagen (Denmark) in 1998.
The Committee of Deputies met three times: on 7-8 April, 26 May and 8-9 October 1998. A
meeting of the Enlarged Bureau of the Committee of Deputies was held on 30 June.
It should also mentioned that the Conference organised in 1998, as part of its research activities,
five Round Tables on the following themes:
− “The Spread of Congestion in Europe”
− “User Charges for Railway Infrastructure”
− “Transport and Leisure”
− “Transport and Ageing of the Population”
− “Land Access to Sea Ports”
The conclusions of the Round Tables are given in Chapter III, Section A.
In 1998, the ECMT also organised two Seminars: on 21-22 October, a seminar in Antalya at the
invitation of the Turkish government, entitled “New Trade Patterns: New Transport Demands in the
Black sea region”; and a seminar in Paris on 15-16 December on “Social Aspects of Road Transport”.
Lastly, the ECMT organised, in co-operation with the OECD, a Workshop on 23-24 September in
Linz (Austria) on “Land Use Planning for Sustainable Urban Transport”.
An overview of the Conference’s activities is presented hereafter.
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