BGL Protests to the EU Against Tyrolean Blockade Traffic Policy

The Federal Association of Goods Transport, Logistics and Waste Management (BGL) e.V. has, in a letter together with other associations from Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, and Sweden, as well as the global association IRU, once again called on Commission President Ms. von der Leyen to take action against the unilateral Tyrolean anti-transit policy.

(Berlin) For years, freight transport on the most important alpine transit route has been massively restricted by various driving bans and blockades. As a result, there are significant disruptions in the supply of the population and the maintenance of European supply chains.

In Bavaria, blockades at the Kufstein border regularly cause traffic jams of up to 80 kilometers in length. Affected drivers must endure hours on the highway without any supplies or sanitary facilities. There are no sufficient alternatives for a comprehensive shift of traffic to rail. The completion of the Brenner Base Tunnel is not expected before 2032. The necessary access routes in Germany and Italy are likely to take decades to be realized.

In the past, the BGL, together with other European transport and logistics associations, has repeatedly urged Ms. von der Leyen to take action against the EU-illegal anti-transit measures of Tyrol.

Most recently, during a visit to Bavaria on July 25, 2023, Ms. von der Leyen reported that Austria had rejected all mediation attempts by the Commission and announced a “final mediation discussion” with the involved states in the near future.

Unfortunately, the Commission has remained inactive since then. The final mediation discussion announced by Ms. von der Leyen has not yet taken place. No further activities by the Commission to resolve the Brenner issue are known. Therefore, the signing associations have called on the Commission President to finally take action against the internal market-hostile behavior and initiate an infringement procedure against Austria.

Enough Negotiating – Now Act Decisively

As early as spring 2020, the EU Commissioners for Transport, Internal Market, and Environment expressed their support to the Commission President for initiating an infringement procedure. BGL board spokesman Prof. Dr. Dirk Engelhardt: “Enough has been negotiated. The Commission, as the guardian of the treaties, must now act decisively. It is already five minutes past twelve!”

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