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Internationale Nyheder

 

30.12.2011
 
Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union - Transport priorities 
 
In terms of transport policy, the Danish Presidency will give priority to a number of items which will improve mobility for both the transport of people and goods throughout Europe. Additionally, the Danish Presidency will emphasise a number of areas within maritime transport and give special priority to an item concerning EU guidelines regarding training for mariners.
 
The revision of the guidelines for the Trans-European Transport Network
The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) covers the various modes of transport such as road, rail, inland waterways, sea routes, ports, airports as well as intelligent transport and navigation systems in the entire EU. TEN-T funding contributes to the development of EU cross-border infrastructure in the form of direct financial grants for various projects.
 
The Trans-European Transport Network was established in 1996 in order to secure better cross-border infrastructure in Europe.
 
In October 2011, the Commission put forward a proposal for a revision of the guidelines for the TEN-T network and a proposal on the framework for the funding of TEN-T projects from 2014 to 2020 . The Danish Presidency will emphasise the importance of creating a framework for better connections across the EU through investment in infrastructure, particularly cross-border sections, combating bottlenecks and a focus on co-modality and intelligent transport systems, thus improving mobility and securing more environmentally friendly transport.
 
The recast of the first railway package
The first railway package entered into force in 2003. The focus of the first railway package was to secure market integration of the railway sector on a European scale and to make it possible for the railway sector to compete with other modes of transportation.
 
Since the first railway package entered into force, a number of changes and additional rules have been adopted in the EU. Consequently, the legislation has become increasingly complex and bureaucratic.
 
The Commission presented a proposal of a recast of the first railway package in 2010. The recast is intended to compile all the existing rules in one directive, clarify the rules and address deficiencies.
 
The Danish Presidency expects to complete negotiations on the recast of the first railway package with the aim of creating a genuine internal market for railway services through a simplification of the existing rules.
 
Airports package
Efficient air transport across the EU and between the EU and third countries is key to productive cooperation within the EU and to the role of the EU in a global perspective.
 
During the Danish Presidency, a number of proposals regarding air transport will be negotiated. These are expected to include a revision of the directive on groundhandling, a revision of the regulation on slots allocation and a revision of the directive on aviation noise.
 
The initiatives included in the package are intended to allow for a more efficient utilisation of airport space and improve the overall quality of civil aviation in Europe.
 
Revision of the EU guidelines concerning training for mariners
Sea carriage has always been a catalyst for economic development and prosperity in Europe. The fleets ensure the delivery of energy, food and goods to Europe, and almost 90 per cent of all Europe’s exports are transported by ship. At the same time shipping underpins trade, passenger transport and contact between all countries in Europe.
 
There are several initiatives to ensure the best conditions for shipping in the EU. The international convention for mariners on standards of training, certification and watchkeeping, the STCW convention, was revised at an international conference in Manila in 2010. The European Commission put forward a proposal for a revision of the EU STCW directive in the autumn of 2011, aligning it with the revised convention.
 
Depending on how far discussions reach during the Polish Presidency, the Danish Presidency will give priority to completing the negotiations in the spring of 2012.
 
Galileo
During the last decade, satellite navigation has become an increasingly integral part of the transport sector.
 
In 2003 the initiative was taken to develop the EU’s own satellite navigation system under the name ’Galileo’. Among other things, Galileo will allow for a more exact navigation for both European citizens and businesses. This will entail quicker and more direct transport routes for aviation traffic as well as goods transported by road and sea. Eventually, Galileo will also be used by for example ambulance services, which will be able to locate crashed vehicles more quickly. The Galileo project is intended to be fully operational in 2020.
 
A successful completion of the Galileo project will provide a range of navigation tools. Over time these tools can be used to develop intelligent transport solutions, which can help increase road safety and reduce congestion.
 
EU objectives in the field of transport
Today, most modes of transport are cross-border, be it air services, freight by sea or land or European networks of motorways. Accordingly, it is natural to establish rules at the EU level which promote transport systems.
 
The overall objectives of the EU in the field of transport are to set up favourable conditions for a competitive and sustainable transport sector, which increases the mobility of European societies and contributes to future growth in the EU. To this end a number of initiatives have been taken: 
  • Rules that require vehicles to comply with uniform environmental and safety standards have been adopted at the EU level. These provisions ensure equal and fair competition in the Single Market and benefit European consumers.
  • Additionally, uniform rights for passengers have been adopted for those travelling by rail, bus, sea or air, as well as a common set of rights for passengers with reduced mobility.
  • In terms of maritime policy, the EU pursues the prevention of sub-standard vessels sailing under EU flag and in EU waters. Via high safety standards, the EU aims to reduce the risks of serious accidents involving ships and protect the maritime environment.  EU implementation of international requirements is given high priority. The same goes for securing equal terms of competition and market access for EU vessels.
  • The EU has successfully established an internal market for aviation services. This has contributed to an increase in the number of flights and departures available, while at the same time reducing prices to a historically low level.
  • Furthermore, it has been decided to establish a Single European Sky by which the 27 national air spaces are to be replaced by a single European air space. Over time, this will result in flight routes being more direct, fewer delays, and improved safety through intensified collaboration on flight controls as well as fewer CO2 emissions.
  • Through the TEN-T programme, the EU has set up a framework for the funding of infrastructure projects which connect Member States. For the period 2007-2013, the programme has a budget of almost eight billion euros.
 
The EU’s role in the field of transport
The role of the EU in the field of transport is multifaceted. Through common legislation, exchange of best practices and coordination, the objective is to realise a common EU transport policy. Furthermore, substantial economic funding for cross-border transport and infrastructure projects is available through the EU.