Raad Vervoer, Telecommunicatie en Energie onderhandelt over bevordering gebruik milieuvriendelijke brandstof (en)

Tomorrow, 5 December 2013, at Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) meeting in Brussels EU ministers will seek to agree on the Deployment of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure and will discuss issues related to the single telecommunication market and digital economy.

“Ministerial Council is set to adopt a General approach on the proposed Directive on Deployment of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure, which is the first EU-wide legislation of its kind. It will establish the means of infrastructure aimed to promote the development of cleaner, more environmentally friendly fuels as well as to reduce the negative impact of transport activities,” says Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania Rimantas Sinkevičius, who will chair the Council.

The common position of the Council, as suggested by the Lithuanian Presidency, foresees that within three years of the entry into force of the Directive, the EU member states should prepare national policy frameworks, in which they - analyze and determine the objectives for all alternative fuels infrastructure. The parties would implement their goals and when needed adjust them according to demand fluctuations and other factors.

Though, this compromise obliges countries to develop the necessary infrastructure, it also provides flexibility in planning the investments and enables the more efficient use of public funds. The flexibility was the main condition to reach an agreement on the general approach prepared by Lithuania.

EU Transport ministers will also take stock of progress achieved by the Lithuanian Presidency on the European railway agency and air passenger rights regulations.

EU telecommunications ministers will hold an orientation debate on common regulatory framework for European single market for electronic communications. In addition, the delegations will be informed about the agreement endorsed by the European Parliament on Regulation on guidelines for the trans-European telecommunication networks and the status of negotiations on Regulation on electronic identification and electronic transactions reliability of services in the internal market.

Lithuanian Presidency will present two progress reports in the field of telecommunications: on the Directive concerning measures to ensure a high common level of network and information security network level across the EU and on a draft Regulation on measures to reduce the cost of deploying high-speed electronic communications networks.