The latest draft compromises submitted by the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union on electronic exchange of information in freight and on streamlining measures for advancing the realisation of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T), dated 8 and 14 May respectively, of which EUROPE has had a copy, are in line with the spirit of the latest texts.
Indeed, there is no substantial change from the previous draft compromises put forward by Bucharest, either for the exchange of information in freight (see EUROPE 12243/9) or for the realisation of the TEN-T (see EUROPE 12240/1). The new recommendations put forward here are essentially of the order of reformulation or technical precision.
It should be noted that, on the dossier on electronic information in freight, the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council gives a little more detail than the Commission gives in its proposal on conformity assessment bodies (see EUROPE 12022/11). In this new document, it is therefore proposed that the Commission may adopt an implementing act on the accreditation of these bodies.
As far as the TEN-T is concerned, Bucharest, just like with the last text, suggests setting up a directive, and no longer a regulation.
The national experts of the EU Council's Working Party on ‘Transport - Intermodal Questions and Networks’ will discuss these two new draft compromises at their meeting on Friday 17 May. It would appear that the dossier on the electronic exchange of information in freight is on track to reach a possible political agreement ('general approach') by June (see EUROPE 12248/7). Future discussions on the realisation of the TEN-T should shed light on whether or not it is appropriate to obtain a general approach.
On the European Parliament's side, due to the absence of a potential start and hypothetical conclusion of interinstitutional negotiations ('trilogues') by the end of the MEPs' mandate, they adopted their position at first reading on these texts: in February on the TEN-T (see EUROPE 12193/9) and in March on electronic information in freight (see EUROPE 12212/32). (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)