Brussels, 27/01/2010 (Agence Europe) - It was an ambitious work programme for the next six months that Spanish Minister for Public Works José Blanco López unveiled on Wednesday 27 January for the European Parliament transport committee. Blanco López said that Spain would pursue the aim of making the sector cleaner and more sustainable. Spain intends, however, to put greater emphasis on transport in urban areas and on transport security, especially air transport. It also wants to launch discussion and reflection on airport security and to strengthen passengers' right to information. The Spanish Presidency of the EU wants a debate, too, on the introduction of body scanners. Ministers are expected to tackle this issue at their informal meeting in Corunna on 12-13 February.
Blanco López said that work would continue on two draft regulations on passenger rights (bus, coach and sea transport) with a view to reaching a second reading agreement with Parliament on the two texts during its term in office. In terms of air transport, the Spanish Presidency also wants to finalise negotiations on the second stage of the Open Sky Agreement between the United States and the EU, seeking a “balanced solution” which allows “reciprocal opening of investment and market access,” the minister said, stating that “failure was not a possibility” for either the United States or the EU. The 7th negotiating round will take place in Madrid on 16-17 February, he pointed out, adding that Spain would also like to reach a second agreement on security and the environment with Brazil. Madrid also intends to pursue assessment of the regulation strengthening the system governing air accident investigations. Blanco Lopez said, too, that he would not oppose the Commission's request to extend the ban on the carrying of liquids on board aeroplanes. In road transport, the Presidency intends to continue the technical assessment of the draft Eurovignette directive to “bring an answer to the calculation of external costs” provided for by the text, he said. When asked repeatedly about the introduction of mega-lorries in Europe, Blanco López said he would prefer that agreement was reached at European level, but did not rule out the possibility of providing a better definition of the technical criteria relating to these lorries. Among the other Spanish Presidency initiatives are a seminar, in Madrid on 25-26 February, on the single sky (to draw up a road map for moving to the second, post-2012, phase); - assessment of the directive introducing intelligent transport systems in road transport; - the mid-term review of the Galileo programme and the implementation of the regulation on it, determining, in particular, the three programme control centres; - assessment of the directive putting in place competitive rail freight transport; - promotion of an air security system at international level (proposals will be made at the ICAO international conference in Montreal on 29-31 March); - and agreeing conclusions, by June, on the urban mobility action plan presented by the European Commission in September (see EUROPE 9988). (A.By./transl.rt)