The solution in July? The state of affairs in the endless conflict between the burners – Economy & Volkswagen – News

After the agreement between Bavaria, Tyrol and South Tyrol to reduce the Brenner pass in April, the next step to resolve the ongoing dispute may now be in place.

Germany, Austria and Italy are asking the EU Commission to invite ministers to a meeting by July, as Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing said after a meeting with EU colleagues. “The upcoming talks are the real light at the end of the tunnel,” emphasized the FDP politician. But many points are still open and there is no final agreement at the government level – important questions and answers about the burner dispute:

What do the Brenner regions of Bavaria, Tyrol and South Tyrol want?

The three direct neighbors of the Brenner route across the Alps – Bavaria, Tyrol and South Tyrol – spoke in April for the introduction of a digital traffic management system for freight traffic. Trucks should have to keep certain time windows (slots) on the way over the important Alpine pass. The goal is to balance traffic, prevent traffic jams and protect residents in affected regions from the effects of traffic.

What is the problem with the implementation of the compromise solution?

The legal basis should ultimately be an intergovernmental agreement between Italy, Austria and Germany. The extent to which this can be further developed is an open question. “However, so far, we have not received a response to our proposals from Berlin or Brussels. I am pleased that all three nation states now want to meet at ministerial level,” Bavarian Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) told the German News Agency .

What does the federal government say about the proposed tripartite pact?

According to a report from Süddeutsche Zeitung, Wissing has doubts about it. Although the Federal Ministry of Transport welcomes “every agreement that brings about a real improvement in the difficult traffic situation on the Brenner Pass”, the free movement of goods must be improved and sustainable. “Systems that continue to block digital processing do not change the principle of segmentation.”

What do Austria and Italy say?

Austrian Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler has reportedly supported the slot system. On the other hand, his Italian counterpart Matteo Salvini was quoted as saying that he will not discuss the slot system as long as Austria and Tyrol do not finish processing the block.

What are affected suppliers and transit opponents saying?

In principle, the Bavarian State Association of Freight Forwarders supports the slot system, but sees many unanswered questions. For example, what happens if the time corridor cannot be reached through no fault of your own due to traffic or an accident. Opponents of the Tyrolean transport, on the other hand, fear that the traffic burden will increase. Truck traffic on the Brenner route has increased significantly in recent decades – in 2022 there were 2.5 million trucks and thus 40 percent of all Alpine transport in freight traffic.

Are other solutions on the table?

Not yet. All of the previously discussed alternatives, such as a higher number of burners, were dismissed as less efficient solutions. The block handling currently promoted by Tyrol – and later also by Bavaria – is generally considered not to be a sustainable solution in certain areas. The logistics industry in particular criticizes the traffic congestion at the borders, some of which are tens of kilometers long.

What about the threatened lawsuit against nursery care?

Even if politicians like CSU MEP Markus Ferber regularly talk about the case, implementation is not possible at the moment. This can only be submitted by the Federal Government or the European Union Commission. The immediate solution needed will be a long way off. “We rely on consensus, the alternative to litigation is slow and unsustainable,” emphasized Bernreiter. According to ADAC, the next block maintenance is scheduled for Saturday (June 3).