European Union Transport Ministers meeting in Brussels on 5 December, will debate road hauliers’ access to European markets and the sensitive social questions contained in the first “mobility” package.
This debate follows the work undertaken by the working groups following the presentation of the legislative package at the end of May (see EUROPE 11799) and an initial ministerial debate last June (see EUROPE 11804). To this end, the ministers’ work will be based on an Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU document dated 23 November, which draws up a balance sheet of the different positions expressed and puts forward a number of compromise proposals.
Social aspects. The discussions on the social aspects in the first “mobility” package will, in this connection, be of particular importance, given the fact that the provisions being mooted are creating tension at the Council, European Parliament and within civil society.
The Estonian Presidency is proposing to clarify the notions of cabotage and conditions for using tachographs. It is also suggesting that operations for their own account are included in the scope of the rules applied on posted workers and that weekly rest time is not taken into account in the period of posting.
The Presidency also put forward proposals affecting the draft revision of regulation 1071/2009 on access to the road transport profession, in an effort to ensure fair competition in the single market.
Unless otherwise stipulated in a member state, this regulation is only currently applying to road hauliers using vehicles weighing more than 3.5 t. The Commission is suggesting that certain rules apply to light utility vehicles but it did not define the minimum weight. The Estonian Presidency is proposing to set a benchmark, a principle upon which a majority of state appeared to agree.
In the context of the first “mobility” package, ministers were also having opportunity to discuss the draft revision of the directive (1999/62/EC) on road tolls.
Ministers will also be examining an Estonian Presidency document assessing the progress and discussions involving the revision of the 868/2004 regulation that seeks to protect European airlines from unfair competition from third country operators.
The Council is also expected to adopt conclusions on the progress accomplished in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), digitalisation of transport and the EU’s space policy (Galileo, EGNOS and the European GNSS agency).
Finally, the European will be presenting its proposals formulated on 8 November as part of the second “mobility” package (see EUROPE 11900). (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)