Brussels, 13/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - Several transport files currently seem to be bogged down at the Council. EUROPE has taken stock of the work started under the Greek Presidency with Greece's Minister for Transport Michalis Chrisochoidis, ahead of the Transport Council that will take place on 5 June. Chrisochoidis reviewed the state of progress in writing on the key files on the table - including the fourth railway package and the crossborder traffic of lorries. He mentions the issues of his own country. (Interview conducted by MD).
Agence Europe (AE): How is work in Council developing on the 4th railway package?
Michalis Chrisochoidis (MC): The Council on 14 March reached a general approach on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the EU Agency for railways and repealing Regulation (EC) N° 881/2004. We are working towards a political agreement for the technical pillar during the TTE Council of June, as the recast of the Directive on the interoperability of the rail system, the recast of the Directive on railway safety and the agreement on the ERA Regulation helps to remove the remaining barriers to the completion of the Single European Railway Area, and thus improve the competitiveness of the rail sector vis-à-vis other transport modes. With the completion of the technical pillar of the fourth railway package, economies of scale for railway undertakings across the EU are expected to increase, administrative costs will decrease and the level playing field in the EU will improve, through the reduction of disguised discrimination in relation to the issuing of safety certificates and vehicle authorisations.
(AE): What will the position of the Council be on the cross border traffic of mega trucks, as the EP voted against such trucks?
(MC): The discussion on this topic is in progress and I would not want to prejudge the outcome. Nevertheless, I would like to assure you that the Hellenic Presidency will work systematically to achieve the best possible outcome, putting safety and efficiency in the heart of the efforts. We intend to work in directions that make road transport cleaner and safer, reduce fuel consumption and achieve the vision of “greening the transport chain”.
(AE): Air transport doesn't seem to be high on the agenda of the Greek Presidency, as the files concerning airport slots and ground handling, in the airport package, or the Single European Sky 2+ have not moved on.
(MC): Concerning air transport, the Hellenic Presidency set as priority air passengers' rights from the very beginning. We are working hard at the moment for passengers' rights, our top priority for air transport. As a matter of fact, this is not a priority just for our Presidency, but for the European Parliament as well. Initially we included in our program negotiations with the Parliament for this file, with the condition that an agreement was reached in the Council during the Lithuanian Presidency, something that never happened. Taking into account the shortage of time and in order to speed up the processes for the airport package, we decided to work on the most mature proposal, i.e. noise, leaving the other two components of package, i.e. airport slots and ground handling for the upcoming presidencies, as they have a lot of outstanding issues.
Thus so far, no discussions have been made on the SES 2+ file. Nevertheless the Hellenic Presidency is willing to work for the promotion of European issues in the field of air transport. Which issues will be addressed in addition to those set as priorities will depend on the availability of time and the priorities to be set by the next Presidency.
(AE): The European Commission has opened the first infringement procedure against countries that haven't yet set up their functional airblock space. Does Greece fear such an infringement?
(MC): Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta are the partners of Blue Med FAB, while Albania and Tunisia participate as associate partners, and the Kingdom of Jordan and Lebanon as observers. So far, all states participating in this FAB have made substantial efforts to fulfil the prerequisites for the establishment and facilitation of this FAB. We acknowledge that we are not within the time plan which initially had been set by the Commission, while the Commission should acknowledge that this time plan was rather strict and unattainable.
(AE): Has work on the construction of tolled highways in Greece resumed?
(MC): After months of tough work and negotiations, we have managed to restart works in Greek motorways, which are implemented through concessions. At the end of 2015 the country will have a modern highway network sufficient to implement a new role for the country. This new role puts Greece in the centre of transport activities between Asia and Europe with multiplying effects for the development.