Question for Written Answer
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Question for written answer E-000989/2021 to the Commission Rule 138 Paolo Borchia (ID), Marco Campomenosi (ID), Matteo Adinolfi (ID), Simona Baldassarre (ID), Alessandra Basso (ID), Mara Bizzotto (ID), Susanna Ceccardi (ID), Valentino Grant (ID), Rosanna Conte (ID), Marco Dreosto (ID), Alessandro Panza (ID), Massimo Casanova (ID), Danilo Oscar Lancini (ID), Angelo Ciocca (ID), Elena Lizzi (ID), Annalisa Tardino (ID), Antonio Maria Rinaldi (ID), Silvia Sardone (ID), Luisa Regimenti (ID), Isabella Tovaglieri (ID), Lucia Vuolo (ID), Stefania Zambelli (ID), Francesca Donato (ID) Subject: Further restrictions on the free movement of commercial vehicles in transit through Austria and Germany The Commission communication of 19 January 2021 recognises that the protection of the internal market and its smooth functioning are the cornerstone of the European response to the pandemic; it therefore rejects the hypothetical correlation between free movement and the spread of the virus and specifies that any mobility restrictions decided on by national governments should be ‘proportionate and non-discriminatory’, in keeping with the Council Recommendation of October 2020. However, on 15 February 2021 some new restrictions on the transit of commercial vehicles through Austria and Germany entered into force, with the requirement to produce a negative swab test carried out within 48 hours of arrival at the border. The new provisions have led to serious traffic disruptions, including the immediate formation of tailbacks at the Brenner Pass. Those measures, moreover, come on top of the pre-existing restrictions to the movement of heavy goods vehicles adopted through Tyrol by-law No 81/2019, the compatibility of which with EU law is already being considered by the Commission. In light of the above, can the Commission answer the following questions: 1. Can it confirm whether the new restrictions described above infringe the proportionality criterion set out in its communication? 2. Does it acknowledge that such measures are likely to exacerbate the economic losses already incurred by the businesses affected by By-law No 81/2019? 3. How does it intend to restore the functioning of the internal market? Supporter1 1 This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Gianantonio Da Re (ID) PE689.418v01-00.