In the early hours of Friday 25 March, the government and the National Road Transport Committee (CNTC) reached an agreement to try to remedy the rise in the price of diesel, with 1,125 million euros.
Below is a summary of the points of the agreement that complements the measures of Royal Decree-Law 3/2022, which also prohibits the participation of the driver in loading and unloading, the reduction of waiting times to one or the compulsory clause of price revision according to the evolution of the cost of fuel:
- Minimum bonus of 20 cents per litre of fuel (or kilo of liquefied natural gas). 15 cents will be provided by the State and 5 cents by the oil companies and will also be applied to adblue. In this way, a diesel lorry will be able to save 700 euros per month. It will be in force until 30 June and can be extended depending on market trends. This rebate will mean more than 600 million euros for the transport sector.
- Direct aid of 450 million euros for freight and passenger transport companies, depending on the type of vehicle, with a limit of 400,000 euros per company per lorry and 1,250 euros per lorry.
- Extension of the maturity of loans guaranteed by the ICO to 8-10 years.
- A budget of 10 to 20 million euros will be increased from 10 to 20 million euros for aid for leaving the transport profession.
- By 31 July, the Ministry of Transport will submit to the CNTC a draft law to apply to the road freight transport sector, the principles of the food chain law to ensure a fair use of subcontracting and cost-effectiveness of work in the sector.
- Advance the monthly refund of professional diesel, instead of quarterly as at present.
- Sanitary cent: the refund will be accelerated by strengthening the means for this purpose.
Despite having reached this agreement, the National Platform for the Defence of Transport is still not calling off the stoppages because they believe that lorry drivers and drivers do not feel represented by the CNTC. They believe that the measures announced will not eradicate the problems currently experienced by hauliers. For this reason, the platform, which the government has refused from the beginning to take part in the negotiations, called a demonstration on Friday 25th in front of the Ministry of Transport.
The president of the platform continues to demand a meeting with the minister and also wants the government’s promises to be made effective and for transitional legislation to be passed to put an end to the problem that the hauliers are experiencing.
On the other hand, the strike that has been going on for 14 days and is aggravating the situation with each passing day for supermarkets, food manufacturers, cooperatives, hoteliers etc… with supply problems.
Sectors of the food, automotive and oil industries, and even some ports are experiencing a critical situation because the terminals are at full capacity and if no containers leave they will have to stop port and maritime activity.
Photo: elpais.com
