Call for action on forwarders
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• A Euro MP is pressing the EEC to crack down on unscrupulous freight-forwarding agents after a haulier in his constituency lost a large sum of money when an agent failed to pay him.
Thomas Raftery, an Irish MEP, has tabled a written question pointing out that owner-drivers are vulnerable to the possibility of exploitation and non-payment by "cowboys".
He urges the Common Market to establish a bonding system similar to that already in existence for tour operators and to create a compulsory EEC licensing system for all those engaged in freight forwarding.
"This would be in the interests of both owner-drivers and a vast majority of freight forwarders who operate in a respectable fashion," he states.
Raftery raised the issue in Brussels after receiving a letter from Sean Drumm, a haulier in Tipperary. He claimed that as a result of nonpayment by a British forwarder his sons had to dissolve their haulage partnership and operate separately.
Drumm proposed four measures to tackle the problem: nEstablish a register of trustworthy freight forward agents and transport operators who sub-contract work to owner drivers. All people on the register should be required to put up a bond; ✓ People with a poor regard would be excluded from the register;
E There should be easy access by telephone or telex to examine the register; r7 All agents should have ferry accounts for assisting hauliers.
The EEC Commission is not keen to set up a licensing system as it believes that there are few dishonest operators.