EU Transport Ministers will be invited, at their meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday 6 June, to reach political agreement on the electronic exchange of information in freight transport, to note the progress made on a number of issues and to continue their cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries.
Electronic information in freight. The text on the electronic exchange of information in freight transport will be the only one to be the subject of political agreement (‘general approach’) at this Transport Council meeting.
This text, which echoes the European Commission's proposal of May 2018 as part of the third ‘mobility’ package (see EUROPE 12022/11), was supported by the Member States' ambassadors to the European Union (Committee of Permanent Representatives - Coreper) on 24 May last (see EUROPE 12262/3), on the basis of the latest draft agreement tabled by the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU on 21 May (see EUROPE 12260/19).
On the European Parliament side, MEPs adopted their position at first reading in March (see EUROPE 12212/32, 12182/10).
Infrastructure fees. Ministers are also expected to approve a progress report on the revision of Directive 1999/62/EC (see EUROPE 12258/4) on road infrastructure user charges, proposed by the Commission in May 2017 as part of the first ‘mobility’ package (see EUROPE 11799/6).
Discussions took time to really get off the ground in the EU Council's working party on ‘land transport’, due to the negotiations on the social and market aspects of this package of proposals (see EUROPE 12152/10). Bucharest began to work on this in early spring.
While two draft compromises were tabled in April (see EUROPE 12227/5, 12239/25), a majority of Member States want more flexibility compared to the Commission's recommendations, in particular on the possibility of introducing or maintaining time-based user charges (‘vignette’ type) in the future.
As the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU considers that more work is needed in this area to reach a compromise, it has therefore presented only a progress report. While in the European Parliament, MEPs agreed last October (see EUROPE 12125/2).
Vehicles hired without a driver in freight. Similarly, a progress report must be approved on the revision of Directive 2006/1/EC on the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road (see EUROPE 12258/3).
This dossier, which is also part of the first ‘mobility’ package, has been, for months, at the mercy of developments relating to the social and market aspects of this package of proposals (see EUROPE 12229/1).
Although a draft compromise was presented on 8 May last (see EUROPE 12251/17), national delegations do not agree, some want social and market issues to be definitively settled before taking a position on this text (see EUROPE 12256/14). That is why only a progress report must be endorsed at this EU Council.
The European parliamentarians adopted their position at first reading on this issue last January (see EUROPE 12172/8).
Implementation of the TEN-T. Another progress report to be approved will be the one on the streamlining measures for advancing the realisation of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) (see EUROPE 12260/20).
Like the text on electronic information in freight, it is part of the third ‘mobility’ package.
The latest compromise draft tabled by Bucharest on this issue suggests that a directive (see EUROPE 12255/11) should be set up, while the Commission's proposal envisages a regulation. The Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU considers that more work is needed at the technical level to reach a political agreement. It therefore presented this progress report.
In Parliament, a text was voted on at first reading by MEPs last February (see EUROPE 12193/9).
Rail passenger rights. The latest progress report to be approved by ministers concerns the recasting of Regulation 1371/2007 on rail passengers' rights and obligations, echoing the Commission's proposal of September 2017 (see EUROPE 11872/6).
A first draft compromise was put forward by Bucharest last 25 April (see EUROPE 12242/5). Most Member States agree on the objectives of the proposal, but consider that several points still need to be examined in the light of the reality in the sector.
Preparatory work therefore still needs to be done before a compromise can be reached and, in fact, only a progress report is presented here. In Parliament, a text was adopted at first reading last November (see EUROPE 12138/7).
Miscellaneous. Bucharest will also review several interinstitutional agreements during its Presidency (see EUROPE 12199/3, 12189/13, 12192/25, 12192/24, 12192/26, 12210/5) as well as the text on the end of the clock change in the EU. On the latter point, no progress has been made in the EU Council since the presentation of a progress report last December (see EUROPE 12151/6), while the Parliament adopted its position in March (see EUROPE 12222/10).
Ministers will also discuss airspace capacity, aviation pricing, transport externalities or long-term environmental strategy. The upcoming Finnish Presidency work programme will also be discussed.
Eastern Partnership. Finally, EU Transport Ministers will have lunch with their counterparts from six Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) on transport cooperation, with a focus on road safety and infrastructure.
On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Eastern Partnership (see EUROPE 12253/5), a declaration will be adopted as an inventory of joint achievements. And this text will confirm the EU's willingness to continue its cooperation in the transport sector with the targeted countries. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)