The Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union presented the priorities of its mandate to MEPs in the Transport and Tourism Committee on Tuesday 13 July.
In line with the ‘Fit for 55’ package (see EUROPE 12759/2), which the European Commission will present on Wednesday and which should enable the EU to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, the Slovenian Presidency intends to focus on resilience and decarbonisation of the transport sector.
“‘Fit for 55’ will have a direct effect on the sector with regard to decarbonising transport. This package is a priority for the EU’s economic recovery, given that the sector has been deeply affected by the pandemic”, said Slovenian Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec.
Several important issues on the table
The Slovenian Presidency has a number of other important issues to deal with during its six-month term. These include the ‘Single European Sky’ (see EUROPE 12743/2) - the interinstitutional discussions on which began on Tuesday 13 July - and the hiring of driverless vehicles (see EUROPE 12663/15). On this point, described as a “priority” by the EU Council Presidency, the first exchanges between the co-legislators will begin this Thursday.
Asked by Petar Vitanov (S&D, Bulgaria) about the ‘Single European Sky’, Mr Vrtovec stressed the importance of a recent impact assessment, as the latest figures were eight years old.
“We are confident that we will make progress in the negotiations on these issues. We are ambitious, but we are aware that the discussions on the Single Sky in particular will be technical”, said the Slovenian Minister.
Railways in the limelight
In addition, the EU Council Presidency intends to put the railway sector at the centre of its concerns during this European Year of Rail (see EUROPE 12628/13).
“Rail is one of the most sustainable modes of transport, both for passengers and for freight. Journeys are still too long. Member States need to be better connected. There are inequalities that need to be addressed”, stressed Mr Vrtovec.
Regarding the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) (see EUROPE 12756/6), the Slovenian Presidency indicated that it would focus part of its efforts on the network’s infrastructure and corridors in order to “reduce inequalities and make rail attractive”.
In addition to decarbonisation through, among other things, the use of alternative fuels (see EUROPE 12760/4) and the development of infrastructure, railways and the TEN-T network, the Slovenian Presidency also expects a new package to be submitted on European transport networks, smart grids and urban mobility.
“We will follow this closely”, summarised Jernej Vrtovec.
Finally, the Slovenian Presidency also presented its priorities for the future of tourism. In this area, the aim will be to promote greener, more resilient tourism, increased digital involvement, better connection between cities and regions, and standardisation of health protocols. (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)