Blockade of trucks at the Brenner Pass, new clash between Italy and Austria. Vienna: “Use the trains” – Corriere.it

On the prohibitions and limits on the circulation of industrial vehicles in the Austrian section of the Brenner axis, the clash has opened between the Italian and Austrian governments. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini asks for Brussels to intervene and threatens the “hard line”. «Salvini expects to receive formal support from other governments against the unilateral Austrian bans on the Brenner Pass. It would be a decisive and unprecedented step, after too many years of back and forth to the detriment of businesses and workers in our country. Salvini has already received the support of Germany», reports the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport in a note before the start of the work of the EU Transport Council in Luxembourg. The minister requests that the European Commission intervene as guardian of the Treaties to restore the right to full freedom of movement for all European citizens. “Either the free movement of men and goods is valid for everyone or the Treaties are worth a little less for someone”, underlined Salvini, adding that “the Brenner corridor does not belong only to Austria, Italy or Germany but it is essential for the whole of Europe”.

Berlin shares Italy’s position

Italy’s position has the support of Berlin, which has long lamented the effects of the bans on the German economy and traffic in Bavaria. «The situation at Brenner is dramatic, we have queues of 50 kilometers in Bavaria and, without a solution, they will be even longer in the neighboring areas. We have to avoid it. It is necessary to find a common solution to ensure the usability of this connection between the North and the South» of Europe, said the German Transport Minister, Volker Wissing.

Austrian limits

In 2023, Austria decided to adopt new restrictions on the circulation of heavy vehicles, which added to those already in force. In March, the dates on which the so-called dosing system will be applied for the second half of 2023 were announced. The system is aimed at heavy goods vehicles from Germany and heading south. The limit stipulates that on certain days a maximum of 300 vehicles are allowed to pass per hour. “Austria is ready to sit down at a table with Rome and Berlin to find a common solution” on the Brenner Pass, “there are possibilities to proceed, but we must all work towards a constructive solution”, said the Austrian Transport Minister, Leonore Gewessler, speaking in public session at the Transport Council underway in Luxembourg. “Transit in the Tyrol region has been in a dramatic situation for many years” and although “the Brenner is an important corridor” in Europe, “it does not mean that we can close our eyes to the problem”, underlined Minister Gewessler. “Transit figures” in the corridor “are increasing and freedom of movement is guaranteed by the Treaties, but it does not involve the obligation to transport goods by road: we have capacity by rail, please use them”, highlighted the minister.

Brussels: disappointed by Vienna

“All the” unilateral “measures taken on the Brenner Pass are not useful, even for Austria itself, they are not positive and are not sustainable,” said the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Valean, at the end of the EU Transport Council. «I am disappointed by the fact that while Italy and Germany would approve a compromise, Austria continues to delay, wants to continue the discussions and does not budge» from its position «to accept any proposal. This is not constructive », she highlighted.