FRANCE: FRANCE'S NATIONAL ROAD HAULIERS FEDERATION (FNTR) URGES ITS MEMBERS TO LIFT THE BLOCKADE STRANGLING FUEL SUPPLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Record ID: 590739

  • Title: FRANCE: FRANCE'S NATIONAL ROAD HAULIERS FEDERATION (FNTR) URGES ITS MEMBERS TO LIFT THE BLOCKADE STRANGLING FUEL SUPPLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
  • Date: 8th September 2000
  • Summary: CALAIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 9, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. PAN: TRACTORS PARKED ACROSS MOTORWAY, BALES OF HAY 0.09 2. CU: SIGN SAYING CHANNEL TUNNEL 0.13 3. MV'S: FARMERS STANDING BESIDE TRACTORS, HAY ON MOTORWAY, SMALL FIRE BESIDE MOTORWAY SECURITY BARRIER (2 SHOTS) 0.22 4. SLV: UNION REPRESENTATIVE STANDING ON FARM MACHINERY ADDRESSING FARMERS 0.28 5. TILT UP: SOUNDBITE (French) UNIDENTIFIED UNION REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKING TO FARMERS, SAYING "The objective here is to block this route just for a while" 0.38 6. PAN: FARMERS LISTENING TO UNION REPRESENATIVE 0.43 PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 8 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (French) FNTR LEADER RENE PETIT: 'We had been looking for a cut in excise duty, we won a mechanism that will allow us to reduce the impact of further price increases and we won a commitment from the government for an economic regulation in the sector. Nothing is totally perfect but the result is positive.' 1.10 8. PAN DOWN: EXTERIOR OF FRENCH TRANSPORT MINISTRY 1.15 9. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(French) TRANSPORT MIMNSTER JEAN CLAUDE GAYSSOT SAYING: 'All the clarifications have been given and there is now a real need for the roadblocks to be lifted. Everyone is concerned by this. Not only the road hauliers but all the other companies also and our fellow citizens as well. So the Prime Minister has said it, I have said it. I have heard the call by the FNTR on the sense of responsibility. The other federation, the FNTL, also said it a few days ago, I think this appeal should be heard. The blockades must be lifted.' 2.01 BETWEEN COURTRAI AND LILLE, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 8 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10. SLV: FARMERS' BLOCKADE AT BELGIUM-FRANCE BORDER/ TRACTORS PULLED ACROSS BORDER/ BURNING TYRES/ CARS PASSING TRACTORS SLOWLY 2.05 11. MV: FARMERS SETTING UP BLOCKS OF HAY IN FRONT OF TRUCK 2.16 12. SV'S/SCU: FARMERS SEARCHING TRUCK/ TRUCKER SHOWING HIS TRANSPORT PAPERS/CLOSEUP OF PAPERS (4 SHOTS) 2.37 13. MV/SV: FUEL TRUCK / PEOPLE GATHERING TO CHECK TRUCK DRIVERS' PAPERS (2 SHOTS) 2.45 14. PAN: TRUCK DRIVING AWAY AFTER BEING CHECKED 2.55 15. LAS: BLOCKADE/ BURNING TYRE IN FOREGROUND/ TRUCKS PASSING BY 3.00 16. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FARMER JEAN-MARC ANTOINE SAYING: 'There's no fuel at the gas stations anymore so what we are doing is preventing the trucks from coming from being filled up in Belgium to fill the pumps in France. We have colleagues have colleagues in Dunkerque who are blocking the refineries so it is not right that we should let these trucks coming from Belgium pass.' (Question) How long will you remain here? 'As long as it takes.' 3.29 17. PAN FROM TRUCKS TO FRENCH "SHELL" OIL TANKER WHICH HAS BEEN HALTED AND PREVENTED FROM CROSSING FURTHER 3.35 18. CU: "SHELL" LOGO ON SIDE OF TANKER 3.37 19. LV/PULL OUT: BLOCKADE AND CONGESTION AT BORDER (2 SHOTS) 3.59 GENEVILLIERS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 8 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 20. VARIOUS: POLICE GUARDING OIL TANKERS ARRIVING AT REFINERY TO LOAD (3 SHOTS) 4.37 21. SLV: WORKER IN REFINERY 4.42 LA ROCHETTE, FRANCE (8 SEPTEMBER 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 22. PAN: OUT OF SERVICE OIL DEPOT, FARMERS BLOCKING ENTRANCE 4.51 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd September 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CALAIS, BETWEEN COURTRAI AND LILLE, GENEVILLIERS, LA ROCHETTE AND PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVAB0M3393L5PDW6BO96Y3GBHQ2D
  • Story Text: France's National Road Hauliers Federation (FNTR), the
    largest truck owners group protesting against high fuel
    prices, has urged its members to lift the blockade strangling
    fuel supplies around the country. But truckers, farmers,
    ambulance drivers and other groups kept up their blockade on
    refineries and even border crossings despite a plea by the
    French government.



    Truckers, farmers, ambulance drivers and other groups
    went into their fifth day of protest on Friday (September 8),
    despite a call by France's National Road Hauliers Federation
    (FNTR) to lift the blockades. The French government also urged
    protesters to end their blockade.

    Speaking in Paris FNTR head Rene Petit, who said he had
    asked his organisation's members to lift the blockades, said:
    'We had been looking for a cut in excise duty, we won a
    mechanism that will allow us to reduce the impact of further
    price increases and we won a commitment from the government
    for an economic regulation in the sector. Nothing is totally
    perfect but the result is positive'.

    France's Transport Minister Jean Claude Gayssot also
    urged the protesters to lift the barricades ahead of further
    discussions. He said: 'All the clarifications have been given
    and there is now a real need for the roadblocks to be lifted.

    Everyone is concerned by this. Not
    only the road hauliers but all the other companies also and
    our fellow citizens as well. So the Prime Minister (Lionel
    Jospin) has said it, I have said it. I have heard the call
    by the FNTR on the sense of responsibility. The other
    federation, the FNTL, also said it a
    few days ago, I think this appeal should be heard. The
    blockades
    must be lifted.'
    Despite the appeal by FNTR Unostra, the other group
    manning the barricades, said its members appeared to want to
    continue the five-day protest aimed at winning a 20-percent
    cut in diesel fuel taxes for large lorries. Unostra was due to
    announce its position later on Friday.

    Meanwhile earlier in the day protesters were keeping a
    tight clamp on refineries and depots to ensure fuel supplies
    are blocked to all but about one fifth of the country's petrol
    stations.

    Taxi drivers, however, quit the movement after winning the
    right to raise fares by four percent, thereby passing the
    burden of higher fuel prices on to their customers.

    But the truckers and other transport groups want a cut in
    the fuel taxes they pay, a concession only the government can
    give them. Paris has offered a 15 percent cut in diesel rates
    for heavy lorries, but the protesters are demanding 20
    percent.

    On Friday the Interior Ministry listed 167 roadblocks at
    midday. The truckers seemed determined to corner the
    government into conceding a 20 percent cut in diesel taxes.

    France's Prime Minister Lionel Jospin drew the line at 15
    percent on Wednesday (September 6).

    French farmers blockaded the border between Belgium and
    France and stopped all tankers attempting to bring fuel in
    from abroad to fill pumps in France.

    About 15 farmers parked tractors and set alight to bales of
    hay scattered across roads on the border. The farmers
    inspected vehicles and drivers' papers stopping any truck
    suspected of transporting fuel. They brought all France-bound
    traffic to stop.

    French farmer Jean-Marc Antoine said: 'There's no fuel at
    the gas stations anymore so what we are doing is preventing
    the trucks from coming from being filled up in Belgium to fill
    the pumps in France. We have colleagues have colleagues in
    Duinkerque who are blocking the refineries so it is not right
    that we should let these trucks coming from Belgium pass.'
    When asked how long the farmers were prepared to stay on
    the border Antoine replied 'as long as it takes.'
    As Antoine spoke a Shell tanker remained blocked. It was
    found to be carrying fuel from abroad and had been prevented
    from crossing. It had been there since Thursday (September 7).


    Meanwhile in Genevilliers, just on the outskirts of
    Paris, a major pipeline was heavily guarded by police to avoid
    the protesters from approaching. Dozens of oil tankers
    patiently
    waited in line for their turn to load, some of them having
    travelled for hours from different parts of the country to
    find fuel.

    At La Rochette, a refinery 50 km from Paris, truckers
    and farmers gathered outside the entrance to the facility,
    blocking the entrance with their vehicles.

    About 80 percent of all petrol stations in France
    were reported to have run dry or under tight rationing because
    truckers and farmers blocked refineries and depots. Petrol
    stations were also starting to close in Paris, the area which
    had been least hit by the protest.

    gf/ab


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