The EU/UK agreement on the post-Brexit relationship was the subject of a lively discussion on Monday 11 January between the European Parliament Committee on Transport (TRAN) and three members of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Transport (DG MOVE): Eddy Liégeois, Carlos Bermejo Acosta and Joachim Luecking, respectively in charge of the units dedicated to transport networks, air agreements and air safety.
In the field of transport, the agreement governs the future of road freight and road passenger transport between the two parties (see EUROPE 12632/5) as well as air transport and air safety.
While MEPs welcomed the agreement, they expressed doubts as to its effective implementation. “Because we have witnessed all the problems with the withdrawal agreement”, said Johan Danielsson (S&D, Sweden), rapporteur on the issue.
Specialised committees
Asked about the means granted to the Commission to ensure the application of the text, the three representatives of the European institution indicated that specialised committees would be set up for this purpose.
In addition to the creation of such a committee, concerning road transport, Eddy Liégeois specified that the agreement gave the EU the possibility of taking coercive measures in the event of non-compliance with the agreement on the British side. These could take the form of a “ suspension of British carriers’ rights of access to EU territory”, he detailed.
A specialised committee on air transport and another on air safety will also be set up.
“In principle, we don’t expect any major problems in the operation of the agreement”, Carlos Bermejo Acosta said on the subject of air transport. On air safety, Joachim Luecking also spoke of “immediate possibilities for action”.
Employees and passengers
Concerns have also been expressed by Socialist, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL MEPs about the EU’s ability to ensure that the UK maintains high standards on passenger rights and working conditions for lorry drivers - conditions which have deteriorated further with longer border waiting times and with the health context (see EUROPE 12627/33).
Responses were more evasive on this subject. Citing “a very strong commitment to passenger rights”, Mr Bermejo Acosta explained, however, that the British would now be able to implement their own legislation. But “the United Kingdom has told us that it will continue to apply the rules in force today for some time”, he said.
With regard to road transport, Eddy Liégeois stated that - in the framework of the negotiations on fair conditions of competition - the rules of the ‘Mobility Package I’ had been integrated into the agreement, in particular on access to the profession for transport operators, posting, the certificates required for drivers, but also on driving and rest periods.
A level playing field
“There will not be a completely level playing field. To be honest, I think it’s a pretty good thing”, said Swedish MEP Warborn Jörgen, speaking on behalf of the EPP.
This, he said, would further highlight competitiveness issues on which the EU “is underperforming”.
An assertion swept away by Eddy Liégeois: “This is not the basis on which we negotiated and this is not the result we achieved. On the contrary, we have strong competitive conditions”, he assured.
Reacting to this intervention, Joachim Lueckig stressed that the provisions on aviation were “very good news” for the competitiveness of the European aeronautics industry compared with that of the United Kingdom - which does not produce large aircraft and mainly carries out subcontracting activities, he said. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)