Brussels, 11/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 10 February, the Community of European Railways and Infrastructure Companies (CER), the Association of European, Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM) and the European Rail Industry (UNIFE) welcomed the appointment of Siim Kallas to the post of European commissioner for transport. In a joint letter sent to the European commissioner, the three organisations supported Kallas' statement to the European Parliament that he would seek to improve the environmental performance of transport through a combination of measures including the development or better use of infrastructure, the introduction of new technology, better use of existing sustainable technologies, and by creating a level playing field through the internalisation of external costs of all modes of transport. On this occasion, the CER, EIM and UNIFE reiterated their call for a rapid conclusion to the work on the proposal for a Eurovignette directive allowing external costs of road transport to be internalised. (A.By./transl.jl)