On Friday 8 May, the Presidency of the Council of the EU obtained the approval of the Member States’ Ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) to negotiate with the European Parliament a package of urgent measures to help companies and authorities in the aviation, rail, road and maritime transport sectors.
These measures, presented last week by the Commission, aim to “lighten the regulatory burden and reduce costs for transport undertakings”, hard hit by the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic (see EUROPE 12477/5).
“The EU Council worked intensively, and has been able to finalise its position on all these proposals within ten days”, said Oleg Butković, Croatian Minister of Transport, after the Ambassadors’ meeting.
First, the institution intends in particular to extend the deadline for transposing the Directives of the fourth railway package until 31 December 2020.
Second, the temporary amendment of the Port Services Regulation - which provides that ports may waive, suspend, reduce or defer the infrastructure charge due to them - should not, according to the EU Council’s mandate, be valid beyond 31 October 2020.
The Commission, for its part, had proposed that this derogation should apply to fees due for the period from 1 March to 31 December 2020.
Finally, concerning the extension of the validity of certain certificates and licences, the EU Council text includes certain amendments “to allow the differences between Member States as regards the spread of the pandemic to be taken into account", details a statement.
“We will now work with the European Parliament to reach a rapid conclusion of the measures, so as to provide legal certainty for both operators and administrations”, pledged Mr Butković. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)