Brussels, 22/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) transport and tourism committee, meeting on Tuesday 22 November, determined how best to respond to the European Commission and its White Paper on transport, published in the spring of this year. The committee approved the draft report by Mathieu Grosch (EPP, Belgium) setting out its position on European mobility, especially until 2020. The Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area - Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system presented by the Commission proposes objectives to be attained by 2050. Grosch, however, preferred more detailed goals to be achieved by 2020 (20% reduction in CO2 emissions in the road sector, 20% reduction in noise and energy consumption in rail transport, 30% reduction in CO2 emissions from air transport across European airspace and a uniform 30% reduction in CO2 emissions and pollutants in shipping).
The draft report was adopted by 34 votes to 5, with no abstentions. The previous day, final discussion focused mainly on a few recurrent issues, including the famous distance of 300 kilometres beyond which 30% of freight transported by road must, under Commission proposals, by 2030, be transferred to other modes of transport, such as rail or navigation. On this point, Grosch achieved a compromise, leaving it to member states and regions to decide for themselves the best co-modality options, depending on their own specific geographical conditions. This compromise was not at all to the liking of Michael Kramer (Greens/EFA, Germany) but pleased Said EL Khadraoui (S&D, Belgium) and Gesine Meissner (ALDE, Germany). The latter two believe that similar action should be taken on shorter distances, too.
Mega lorries, the European modular system, was also discussed. The Grosch draft report provides for the use of larger heavy goods vehicles on some roads. This is a point on which more work still needs to be done in the view of Meissner and El Khadraoui, to ensure road safety is not compromised or CO2 emission-reduction threatened. Cramer repeated his opposition to the system as it could hinder the modal shift from road to rail.
Conservative MEP Philip Bradbourn (ECR, UK) said he categorically opposed any and all proposals or compromises that would involve more regulations in the transport sector and make the EU less competitive against the outside world, and he expressed his disappointment that that would be the result of a great many amendments that have been put down. El Khadraoui called for the social chapter in the road transport sector to be improved, particularly rest time which is not uniformly applied throughout the EU. For the Christian Democrats, Grosch and Antonio Cancian (Italy) pointed out that mention should be made of the recent overhaul of the rail package, adopted by the EP last week (EUROPE No 10496), in the draft report to make it more inclusive.
The draft report will be debated and put to the vote in plenary session on 14-15 December. (MD/transl.rt)