Brussels, 29/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - Although no clouds have appeared on the horizon before his hearing at the European Parliament's transport committee (TRAN) on Tuesday 30 September, Maros Sefcovic will, nonetheless, have to navigate through a variety of complex subjects that make up the transport portfolio conferred on him by the future president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.
Sefcovic (Slovakia), however, will already have a head start as he has already been through a hearing, five years ago, when he became a commissioner in the Barroso II Commission. His Social Democratic leanings could also signal a change in the way the dossiers are managed.
Following the steps of Siim Kallas. Sefcovic is an old hand in European affairs after beginning his diplomatic career in Brussels as the permanent representative for Slovakia in 2004. In 2009, he joined the European Commission in the final year of the Barroso I Commission (culture and education portfolio). Between 2009 and 2014, he was the commissioner responsible for inter-institutional relations and administration. He became known for arguing for proposals on the citizens' initiative and European political parties (see other article) and for having set up the lobbying transparency register. This problem-free mandate enabled him to win approval for his efficiency and integrity. After his election as an MEP at the 2014 European elections, Sefcovic has benefited from Slovakia's willingness to play the loyalty card, nominating him as its commissioner candidate. In inheriting the transport portfolio, Sefcovic will be following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Siim Kallas, who occupied the very same posts at the European Commission during previous mandates.
Sefcovic's Social Democratic convictions, however, are expected to signal a slight change, following the liberal approach and proposals advocated by his Estonian predecessor.
Broad missions. With regard to the tasks set Sefcovic, Junker has remained rather vague and chosen to cast the net wide. It will involve promoting infrastructure interconnections through the financial instruments available but also by making use of “innovative financial solutions”. Junker has also called on him to develop policies promoting the “user pays” approach and to back up the vice-president in charge of energy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, for which transport is largely responsible. Concluding the negotiations on the 4th railway package and pursuing implementation of the European Single Sky will of course figure on Sefcovic's list of priorities. Finally, European space policy and the complex Galileo programme (especially since the failed launch into orbit of the two satellites at the end of August) will also return to the transport portfolio, after being in the hands of the industry commissioner in the Barroso II Commission.
Practical questions. There is not the slightest trace of the social dimension in transport, nor of urban transport nor of the importance of smart transport systems in the tasks that Sefcovic will take on. The European Parliament may therefore choose a different tack by very close questioning of the Slovak diplomat. MEPs could ask him questions about practical issues, such as mega-trucks, drones, port reform or dossiers put on the backburner, such as airport reform or revision of air passenger rights.
New approach. In their written questions, MEPs have already given an indication of how things will pan out by calling on Sefcovic to clearly indicate his position on the opening up of markets and social dumping, and particularly the question of cabotage. Sefcovic has stated clearly that liberalisation is not a goal in itself and that he intends to reinvigorate the social dialogue. He states, too, that any new proposals will have to include mid-term social impact reviews and that he hopes that everyone employed in the transport sector will be informed about their rights to prevent social dumping. These, the intentions of the commissioner-candidate, will, if he is confirmed in this post after his hearing, inform the transport White Paper that he will present during his mandate. (MD)