France's main federation of freight companies said that it was calling off a five-day-old blockade of oil installations which had brought the country to the brink of paralysis.
"For us the crisis is over ... Work will start again, business life will resume," said Rene Petit, president of the National Federation of Road Transporters (FNTR) on Friday.
The FNTR, which represents around 15,000 freight companies, has led the protest since last Sunday. The blockade sealed most of the country's oil depots and refineries, causing nationwide shortages.
Half an hour before the announcement, FNTR members drove away from a blockade at the oil depot of Vatry, in the Marne department east of Paris.
A second federation, UNOSTRA, which represents 4,300 small businesses, was due to announce its decision later this afternoon, but warned that the "tendency is for a continuation of the blockades".
The FNTR reached its decision after consultations with its members, but Petit warned that it might take some time for all the blockades to be dismantled.
"On the ground, the situation is a little complicated because different groups of workers have joined in. We will watch things and intervene where necessary," he said.
France Info radio reported earlier that hauliers in La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast and at Marseilles in the south were willing to defy their federation if it chose to settle, and continue the protest with the support of farmers.
The FNTR's agreement is to a one billion franc (150 million euro) package of tax cuts which was offered by the government on Wednesday but accepted initially by only one of the three freight federations.
Overnight Thursday, the FNTR said it had obtained further reassurances from the government on ways of compensating freight companies in the event of future hikes in the price of fuel.
French protests against soaring oil prices began last week with fishermen blockading ports, then escalated dramatically this week after the fishermen won compensation from the government.
The freight drivers were joined by farmers, taxi and ambulance drivers and owners of construction firms in a rash of protests that brought the country to the brink of economic paralysis -- PARIS (AFP)
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