The politicians are uniting on a common front to prevent the passage of a new EU-initiative that could lift the country’s ban on Sunday trucking

At a time when Germany’s political landscape is rife with strife, politicians are uniting on a common front to prevent the passage of a new EU-initiative that could lift the country’s ban on Sunday trucking. "We will do all we can to see that the rule for Germany stays intact," Transport Minister Manfred Stolpe told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, referring to discussion in Brussels to remove laws preventing truckin on Sundays. "In 2001, together with our colleagues from France, Italy and Austria, we were able to prevent (the European Union from regulating Sunday trucking.) And in just the same way, we will fight against the new movement," he said. The responsibility for such decisions must stay with individual EU member states, Stolpe said. Last week, Italy surprised its prior allies on the issue, Germany, France and Austria, by flipping sides and coming out in support of letting Brussels make the decision for its EU members. Most German politicians and advocacy groups support the prohibition, which applies to trucks weighing more than 7.5 tons. For once, such usual enemies as the German Automobile Association and the Green Party are on the same side of an issue, and even the truckers themselves want to see the rule stay intact. Opponents warn of increased traffic jams, ecological damage, and safety risks should trucking on Sundays be allowed, while those in favor say current regulations are protectionist and damage the economy at large