The Goods Vehicles (Authorisation of International Journeys) (Fees) Regulations 2000

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations replace the Goods Vehicles (Authorisation of International Journeys) (Fees) Regulations 1996 (“the 1996 Regulations”).

The Regulations prescribe the fees to be paid for the issue of documents authorising the operation of goods vehicles on journeys—

(a) between the United Kingdom and other member countries of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport;

(b) between the United Kingdom and certain states with whom bilateral agreements or arrangements have been concluded;

(c) in transit through Austria (“Ecopoints”).

The Regulations prescribe, in regulations 3(1), 3(2), 3(3)(a) and 3(4), for increases in the fees charged previously under the 1996 Regulations in relation to, respectively, the issue of an ECMT licence, Ecopoints, a journey permit for a single outward and inward journey, and a removals authorisation as follows:

old fee	new fee
£40	£74
£10	£18.50
£1	£2
£2	£4
£5	£9

The Ecopoints system was created by an Agreement concluded on 30th November 1992 and taking effect on 1st January 1993 between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Austria on the transit of goods by road and rail (“the Transit Agreement”) (OJ No. L373, 21.12.1992, p. 6). Under the Transit Agreement the number of Ecopoints required by a road vehicle if it is to travel through Austria is determined according to the level of nitrogen oxide which it emits. The prescribed fee is payable for the issue of Ecopoints covering one journey through Austria, whether outward, inward or transit.

In relation to the issue of journey permits other than for a single (outward and inward) journey, the fee payable is no longer based on a rate per outward or inward journey (previously £1); instead regulation 3(b) and (c) prescribes rates for journey permits of 4 journeys to Turkey and 15 journeys to Morocco (£8 and £28 respectively).

Other changes made by the Regulations are the removal of any references to period permits or special permits and the addition, in the schedule, of references to the recent international agreements with the Government of Ukraine and the Republic of Georgia which require permits for the carriage of goods by road.

ECMT publications may be obtained from the OECD Publications Service, 2 Rue André Pascal, 75775 Paris Cedex 16, France.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has been carried out and a copy placed in the library of both Houses of Parliament. Copies can be obtained from the Road Haulage Regulation Division, Zone 2/22, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Great Minister House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR (telephone [phone]).