Recalling that the average daily urban mileage for work
reasons had increased from 16.5 km to 31.5 km between 1970 and 1993,
the rapporteur called for a stepped approach towards improving transport
policy: firstly, harmonisation of the basic instruments (vehicle duties, fuel
excise duties, infrastructure costs, registration fees and tolls) throughout
the Union while taking into account the situation in each country; secondly,
once harmonisation was complete, a road charging system could be created. The
Commission and MemberStates should
concentrate on harmonising the rates of fuel and vehicle duties in a manner
which was compatible with preventing harmful environmental effects. Against
this background, Mrs Schmidbauer asked the Commission to take account of CO2
emissions and their global impact. Commissioner Kinnock approved the priority
given by the rapporteur to internalising the external costs of all modes of
transport and, as a result, to establishing real competition between the
various methods used. As regards CO2 emissions, a Commission
proposal would be presented shortly to update the Community’s minimum excise
duty on energy products in order to try and limit emissions in all relevant
sectors, including transport. Finally, Mr Kinnock announced a tripartite
conference on best environmental practice, to which representatives of
industry, transport operators and environmental organisations would be invited.