As of Wednesday 1 July, Ireland has held the Presidency of the Council of the EU and will do so for six months. Building on the One Europe, One Market Roadmap (see EUROPE 13807/1), Dublin will inherit key files and intends to pursue the agenda on competitiveness, passenger rights and transport security.
Competitiveness. “Amidst intense global competition, the European transport network is essential for boosting the EU’s competitiveness”, the Irish Presidency stresses in its programme. As part of the EU’s next long-term budget – a key priority for the Presidency – (see EUROPE 13900/4), negotiations on the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) should also mean it is possible to speed up the roll-out of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
Ireland is taking up the baton on the road transport simplification agenda, notably with the automotive package, and wants “to reach agreement with the European Parliament on the Automotive Simplification Omnibus package by the end of 2026”. It will also pay particular attention to the text aimed at “greening” corporate fleets. Furthermore, the Presidency will launch talks on the revision of the Air Services Regulation and the EU’s new strategy for the competitiveness of the aviation sector.
In the maritime field, Ireland will build on the Maritime Industrial Strategy and the EU Ports Strategy to strengthen the sector’s competitiveness. In the autumn, it will also be responsible for defending the EU’s position within the International Maritime Organization, with a view to adoption of the organisation’s Net Zero Framework. This deadline will be closely watched after the failure of negotiations last year. The sector is expecting much from this reform, which should make it possible to establish a level playing field on a global scale.
“As the Presidency kickstarts the Member State discussions on the revised EU ETS, it’s important the scheme better rewards greener investments, supports the use of sustainable maritime fuels, reduces administrative complexity, and provides a clearer pathway for alignment with a global IMO measure”, said Simon Bergulf, Vice-President of the World Shipping Council, on Tuesday.
Security. Dublin will also focus on transport safety, starting with the roadworthiness package, comprising the proposals on periodic technical inspections, roadside inspections and vehicle registration directives. In the rail sector, the Presidency will support the reform of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) and the Train Drivers Certification Directive. Security and defence often go hand in hand, and the Presidency will continue work on military mobility, aimed at facilitating the rapid movement of military personnel and equipment in the event of a crisis.
Passenger rights. Lastly, Ireland will move forward all the passenger-related rail texts contained in the ‘One journey, one ticket’ proposal (see EUROPE 13868/2). The Irish Presidency says it wants to give significant prominence to the proposals on rail passenger rights and multimodal passenger rights.
An informal meeting of the EU27 transport ministers will be held in Dublin on 20 and 21 September, in preparation for the November Transport Council. It will focus mainly on the role of European transport networks in the functioning of the single market and the changes needed to strengthen the sector’s safety, resilience and competitiveness.
See all the Presidency’s priorities: https://aeur.eu/f/mgz (Original version in French by Juliette Verdes)