More from the Guardian

["Charles Brown" <CharlesB@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Lorry drivers paralyse EU capitals
Special report: The petrol war

Ian Black in Brussels
Wednesday September 13, 2000

Blocked roads, wildcat action and frayed nerves tested the patience of
commuters and consumers across continental Europe again yesterday as anger
over the price of petrol spread - hitting Germany for the first time.
In the centre of the Belgian capital Brussels lorries sealed off all exits
to the Rond Point Schuman - considered the symbolic heart of Europe - as
talks between the Belgian government and militant hauliers continued for a
second day.

Further afield, Polish drivers and fishermen were reported to be considering
blockades against the country's fuel depots, refineries and ports.

The European commission said it was powerless to act against blockades
unless the movement of goods across EU frontiers was affected. But
ambassadors of the 15 member states agreed to hold an emergency meeting of
their transport ministers next week.

France's controversial deci sion to concede fuel tax cuts after six days of
protests and blockades by truckers and farmers has, however, made it hard
for other European governments to hold the line.

Also in Brussels, motoring organisations from five countries, including the
British RAC, called on governments to negotiate with Opec - the cartel of
oil-producing countries - whose announcement of increased production to
lower pump prices last week has done nothing to end protests, or to convince
governments to reduce fuel taxes.

"Governments should not give tax concessions to minority special interest
groups taking direct action," the RAC said. "Rather they should defend the
public interest and secure the right to mobility at an affordable price."

Protests continued in the Netherlands, with blockades slowing traffic on
motorways surrounding Rotterdam, the capital Amsterdam and its airport at
Schipol.

In Germany, truckers threatened to disrupt the country's transport network
from tomorrow. Farmers in Hamburg said they would join the country's
transport and taxi strike to press the government to cut diesel taxes and
postpone plans to introduce an ecological tax on fuel.

Police said that about 100 trucks were joined by bus and taxi drivers for a
protest at Saarbrücken. The German finance minister, Hans Eichel, repeated
that scrapping the country's new energy tax would mean a rise in pension
contributions.

Belgian truckers mounted their third day of blockades, vowing to stay put
for weeks unless the government met their demands for lower diesel prices.
Action spread to the southern cities of Charleroi and Nivelles.

"One week, 15 days, three weeks - no problem," said lorry driver Jean Bury.

Lorry drivers in Ireland have also vowed to take action from Friday unless
their similar demands are met, though the Dublin government has said it will
not act outside its budget framework.

Angry Spanish farmers were reportedly planning a series of protests after
talks with the government in Madrid failed to reach a deal on how to
compensate them for rising transport costs.




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