Inland transport of dangerous goods

The Council reached a general approach on a proposal for a Directive on the inland transport of dangerous goods, pending the adoption of the opinion of the European Parliament at first reading.

As compared with the Commission’s proposal, the text agreed by the Council:

-          exempts a Member State which have no railway system from the obligation to transpose and implement this Directive insofar as rail is concerned;

-          gives Member States, which have no inland waterways or whose inland waterways are not linked to those of other Member States, the possibility, not to apply the Directive as far as inland waterway transport of dangerous goods is concerned;

-          provides for a transitory period of up to two years for the application of its provisions in respect of inland waterways, to allow sufficient time for the adaptation of national provisions establishing legal frameworks and the training of personnel;

-          further enhance the safety of transport of dangerous goods for all three inland modes of transport, support the protection of the environment and facilitate transport of dangerous goods and the internal market for transport operators by harmonising the conditions of transport; it further provides a good example for simplification of legislation and for better Regulation.