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European Union transport ministers meet to discuss strategies aimed at preventing further fuel tax protests by groups such as truckers, farmers, and fishermen. As part of their deliberations, they contemplated making an appeal to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to increase production and also debated the discrepancies in gas taxes that exist across EU member states. Officials in attendance also put forward proposals calling for increased efforts to facilitate cross-border cargo transportation via railways and a harmonization of fuel taxes to prevent price distortions. According to a draft declaration prepared by France, the transport ministers called on the EU to request that OPEC "implements measures to improve the supply of the market to better meet consumer demand."
Wednesday, 20 September, 2000