MEPs on the European Parliament Committee on Transport adopted, on Thursday 28 April, a draft resolution on the impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on the tourism and transport sectors (43 votes in favour, one against, five abstentions).
MEPs are calling on Russia to immediately return more than 400 aircraft leased by Russian airlines to European companies that have still not been returned (see EUROPE 12930/4).
As a reminder, Russia had to return more than 500 leased aircraft by 28 March. On 31 March, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borissov announced that the “vast majority” of leased aircraft would remain in Russia, despite the breach of contract (see EUROPE 12920/6). Only 78 devices have been recovered so far as a result of seizures.
In March, the Russian government also signed a law allowing airlines to re-register aircraft in the country, thus enabling them to operate domestic flights in Russia.
In addition, MEPs also called for stronger sanctions against the Russian shipping industry and for refusing entry to EU ports to ships that have docked in Russia on their journey. In addition, MEPs insist that all ships wishing to call at EU ports should be banned from refuelling in Russian ports.
The draft resolution also includes a section on military mobility. On this point, the MEPs of the European Parliament Committee on Transport are calling for an increase in the budget for military mobility under the Connecting Europe Facility.
MEPs also claim that the EU should help its Member States to develop dual-use infrastructure and transport interconnections within the EU, but also with the Western Balkans, Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. In addition, MEPs also call for the extension of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) to Ukraine and Moldova.
Finally, the draft resolution calls on EU countries to support hotels and short-term rental services that take in Ukrainian refugees, and urges the Commission to establish a temporary financial programme to support tourism businesses that hire people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
The text will now have to be voted on by the European Parliament at its next plenary session, which will take place from 2 to 5 May. (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)