Transport ministers discuss progress on railway package

Met dank overgenomen van Lets voorzitterschap Europese Unie 1e helft 2015 (Lets voorzitterschap) i, gepubliceerd op donderdag 11 juni 2015.

On Thursday, June 11, the Minister for Transport Anrijs Matīss chaired the meeting of the EU Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council.

Inland waterway vessels

The Council adopted a general approach on proposed technical requirements for inland waterway vessels. The draft directive will harmonise procedures across two different legal regimes (EU and Rhine) that are necessary to update unified technical standards.

Railway market opening and governance

Ministers took stock of governance and market opening proposals under the fourth railway package's market pillar.

"We have spared no effort working on the market pillar but clearly more time is needed to reach a political agreement based on a wide consensus within the Council", said Anrijs Matīss, the Latvian Minister for Transport, who chaired the meeting. "At the same time, we have entered a decisive phase in talks with the European Parliament on the technical pillar, and with some good will from all parties involved an agreement should be possible next week when the last trilogue during the Latvian Presidency takes place."

Air passenger rights

Ministers also discussed progress made on a proposed update of EU passenger rights rules.

Press conference following the meeting:

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