German state transport ministers: majority has reservations about mega truck trials

10 Oct 2011. The German state transport ministers decided not to allow trials of mega trucks without the involvement of the Federal Council (Bundesrat). The resolution was passed by the summit of state transport ministers last Wednesday in Cologne with eight votes for and seven against, with one abstention. It states:

"The summit of state transport ministers declares its reservations about the constitutional legality of the Federal Transport Ministry's (BMVBS) intention to define the framework of the trials and allow them to take place using an exemption provision pursuant to article 6 of the Road Traffic Act (§ 6 Straßenverkehrsordnung)."

In contrast with reports in the media stating that the transport ministers had apparently given the "green light" to the mega truck trials, it is still only a minority of states that are prepared to allow the trials to take place in their territory. A recently published legal assessment of mega truck trials carried out by Prof. Ulrich Battis, an expert on constitutional matters, pointed out that the Federal Council has to co-decide on mega truck trials carried out in Germany.

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