The point of contention is block clearance
Italy sues Austria over “transit bans”
October 16, 2023, 6:40 p.m
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On several days a year, Austria limits the number of trucks traveling south on the Brenner motorway. As a result, traffic is sometimes backed up for kilometers. In addition to Bavaria, Italy is also not impressed with the approach – and is now complaining to the EU.
In the ongoing dispute over the chronically congested Brenner route, Italy is now taking its neighboring country Austria to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni decided in Rome to sue its EU partner. In this way, Italy is particularly defending itself against the controversial block handling of trucks in Tyrol. There are also repeated protests against the regulation in Germany. According to Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, this is the first time that Italy has taken an EU partner to court. He spoke of “transit bans” that the Austrian government had unilaterally imposed on the Brenner Pass.
There are always long traffic jams on the important route over the Alps. This has caused a lot of dispute between Bavaria and Tyrol in recent years – including threats of legal action from Bavaria. Austria’s Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler once again defended Tyrol’s “emergency measures”. She called for negotiations; after all, there was a proposal on the table with the “slot system” for bookable truck trips on the Brenner route. “It would be time to talk about it now – instead of threatening legal action every week,” she told the APA news agency. “Italy will not be successful with its maximum demand, namely the lifting of all Tyrolean bans,” said Tyrol’s Prime Minister Anton Mattle.
According to ADAC, block handling stipulates that a maximum of 250 trucks over 7.5 tons per hour on the Inntal motorway A12 are allowed to pass the so-called dosing point towards the south. More trucks will have to wait. As a result, the road narrows to just one lane and traffic may back up onto the A8. This limit depends on the traffic volume. According to that Automobile Club There are ten more days planned this year during which block handling will take place.
The number of trucks has more than doubled since 2000
Truck traffic via the Brenner route has increased significantly in recent decades. According to Mattle, the number of trucks rose from 1.1 million in 2000 to 2.5 million last year. This means that the Brenner Pass now accounts for 40 percent of all Alpine freight traffic. The loads on and along the route have also increased accordingly.
An EU member can appeal to the ECJ if it considers that another member is violating European law. However, before legal proceedings take place, the EU Commission must be referred to the matter. If the Commission does not issue an opinion within three months, an action can also be taken.
Bavaria had repeatedly asked the Commission to initiate infringement proceedings against Austria. Bavaria’s incumbent Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter said that the Free State, together with Tyrol and South Tyrol, had hoped “that our common idea of a slot system as an alternative to block handling will literally bring movement to freight traffic across the Brenner”. Now they are hoping for a quick solution from the European Court of Justice. Bavaria is said to be continuing to work on constructive and sustainable solutions.