Brussels, 22/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - “We have a plan!” rejoiced European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas following the Council meeting, much to his relief and that of Danish Transport Minister Henrik Dam Christensen. Member states adopted a general approach that means that the forthcoming European transport network (TEN-T) can be put in place. The Council, then, proved to be fruitful for the Danish Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers, succeeding in bringing the delegations on board on the revision of rules on groundhandling services, part of a broader package on airports.
First institutional step for the TEN-T. Member states were unanimous in congratulating the Danish Presidency for its work in drafting a general approach on the TEN-T, which they deemed to be “balanced”. The document reconsiders the proposals put forward by the Commission in the autumn and establishes a basis for negotiation with the Parliament. Member states incorporated a number of exceptions so as not to be enjoined to complete the core network by 2030. These would only be for “exceptional circumstances” as the Netherlands put it, projects not sufficiently developed or financial difficulties, an important point for Germany, Hungary and Portugal. Member states also sidestep the requirement to install the ERTMS rail safety system on the broader network by 2050, simply going with the Commission proposal that this system be installed on the core network. They equally wanted to lighten the administration, rejecting the Commission idea of corridor platforms. They did, however, agree that coordinators be put in place. While Italy, Poland and Romania may have won the arguments on including certain addition transport sections, Spain will not see the port of Vigo or the Malaga, Alicante or Canaries airports on future TEN-T maps. Kallas welcomed the agreement reached by ministers “for a new core transport network with a deadline of 2030, for high technical standards on the network, for ten major transport corridors to implement the network”. Nonetheless, the member states' vision is a considerable watering down of the Commission proposal.
More competition on ground services. Despite Poland's abstention and stronger opposition from Germany and Austria, the Council was able to come to a general approach on revision of groundhandling services in airports. The aim is to increase competition among ground service providers and to improve the quality of the services provided. Poland preferred to abstain to make clear its opposition to possible appeal to a national authority in the event of dispute with the airport managing body; the Polish transport minister said this would involve too heavy an administrative load. The Czech Republic shared this view, arguing that this was a matter for subsidiarity. Germany also expressed some reservations over the requirement that there be at least three ground services providers in major airports. It was supported in this by Austria, which stated that increasing the number of contractors did not necessarily mean better quality services or a safer air service. None of this, however, prevented an agreement which maintained the two main points of the Commission proposal, Kallas said - air carriers need greater choice of groundhandling service providers, which means at least three service providers in each major airport, and also, to ensure quality services, good workers are needed, and that means ensuring stable working conditions for ground staff.
Costa Concordia and the carbon tax. Ministers also discussed maritime safety with, as the backdrop, the Costa Concordia accident. According to a European source, “the Italian delegation did not want to give a negative impression” on this issue when reporting on progress in the investigation, noting that, in the accident, many people had been saved. Another issue raised was the system for trading emissions quotas in the aviation sector. The same source revealed that Kallas reported on the state of talks with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). “Some member states are concerned but, in general, they want the carbon tax to be kept”, the source said. Some member states fear providing a specific target for retaliatory measures by third countries which oppose the European tax, which would put them at a competitive disadvantage against the other European countries, said the source, close to the matter. “Commissioner Kallas encouraged solidarity among states in the event of reprisals and supports continuing to work with other countries to try to reach a comprehensive agreement”, the source stated. (MD/SD/transl.rt)