Council of EU Transport Ministers concludes in Luxembourg (5.06.2014)

Today, 5 June 2014, a meeting of the Council of EU Transport Ministers, chaired by Greek Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks, Michalis Chrisochoidis took place in Luxembourg.

The President of the Council, Minister Chrisochoidis, stated: “From the very beginning we had set a target for our Presidency, which is described by our tireless efforts to promote efficient and sustainable transport. All these months we have worked hard towards this direction, aiming to increase economies of scale for transport undertakings (especially railways) across the EU, reduce administrative costs, speed up procedures, avoid discrimination and enhance competition, reduce energy consumption and environmental depreciation. We placed the needs of citizens and societies at the heart of our job on transport policy matters. We will continue to focus our efforts on these tasks up the end of our presidency.”

In the course of the Council, political agreement was achieved on the issues of the 4th railways package’s technical pillar that were examined. With this agreement, which leads towards the adoption of a common regulative framework for the railways, the member states showed once more their willingness to create a common railways transport market.

The 1st point of the 4th railways package’s technical pillar that has been examined by the Council was the Proposal for a Regulation on the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA). With the achieved political agreement, the new Regulation will contribute to the proper functioning of the whole railway system of Europe and clarifying the structure and the legal personality of the ERA, in order for this Agency to become a truly European railway authority in the field of interoperability and security.

The following two points of the technical pillar which have been examined concerned the interoperability and the safety of the rail system within the European Union. The political agreement achieved leads towards removing administrative and technical barriers to increase economies of scale in the railway companies operating in the EU, reduce administrative costs, speed up administrative procedures and avoid disguised discrimination. As far as safety is concerned, the proposal aims at smoothing out differences between member states in principles, different approaches and mindsets that have hampered so far the removal of technical barriers and the establishment of international transport.

A political agreement was also reached on the Directive on weights and dimensions of certain road vehicles circulating within the Community. The text of the Directive as it stands gives considerable potential to improve aerodynamics and vehicle energy efficiency, while, at the same time, improving road safety. It also promotes intermodal transport and enacts specific measures to control overloaded vehicles, using specific technologies. This issue had a political dimension because of border crossing longer vehicles.

In aviation, the Council discussed the following issues: aircraft monitoring, passenger rights, airport charges and maintenance and strengthening of the influence of the EU in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), on the occasion of elections for the latter’s board.

In response to the recent incident of the missing airplane, the Commission informed the member states on key points, timing and method of implementation measures that will constitute a tracking airplanes’ system. Airplane tracking is a matter of consultation with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

In addition to presenting a report regarding the determination of airport charges in member states, the establishment of the Thessaloniki Forum of Regulators of Airport Charges was announced, a Forum that will hold its first meeting in Thessaloniki on 13 June 2014.

EU Ministers of Transport discussed the following issues concerning road and rail transport, namely the presentation of the main points of discussion on issues of road transport, which was the main topic of the Informal Ministerial Transport Council that took place in Athens, on 8 May 2014, the Shift2Rail initiative and the cross-border traffic offenses. On this last point, the Commission stated actions to address the issues raised by the recent decision of the ECJ, which challenged the legal basis of Directive 2011/82 on the cross-border exchange of information on traffic offenses.

Finally, on maritime transport the Council, first, examined the progress report regarding the examination of the proposed Regulation establishing a framework for market access to port services and the financial transparency of ports under the first reading of the Council; second, it adopted conclusions on "Mid-term review of EU policy for the maritime transport sector until 2018 and perspective till 2020."

The Council meeting ended with the presentation of the programme of the Italian Presidency, which will succeed the Greek one as head of the Council of the EU.

Following the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Chrisochoidis stated: “Today the Council had a very productive discussion on a number of files. The excellent cooperation amongst the Ministers resulted in important decisions for the transport sector, the positive results of which will be visible in the near future. I am sure that the Italian Presidency that follows the Greek one will take full advantage of the progress made during the Greek Presidency on various files and will keep up the good work. We wish every success to our Italian colleagues.”