Brussels, 06/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Transport Council meeting this week in Luxembourg tackled a series of specific issues in addition to the debates on the major dossiers developed in our earlier editions. We give below an overview of the results:
- Maritime transport. The Council reached a common position on the three measures proposed in March by the Commission for strengthening maritime safety (see EUROPE of 2 and 3 October, p.10).
- Air transport.
- European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA): The Council noted the draft regulation presented last week by the Commission (see EUROPE of 28 September, p.8) and called on the Committee of Permanent Representatives to give the priority required to the subject in order to allow an indepth debate during the December Council.
- Harmonisation of rules for operation of airline companies (JAR-OPS) and definition of the common requirements on vocational training of cabin staff: The Council noted the state of progress of work and is expected to result in a common position on these proposals which are a priority for the French Presidency, said French Minister Jean-Claude Gayssot.
- Passengers' rights: The Council adopted a resolution (see EUROPE of 4 October, p.11).
- Galileo: The Council continued the debate on the solutions possible for establishing a European satellite navigation system, with a view to an agreement in December on transition to the operational phase (see EUROPE of 4 October, p.11).
- Single European Sky: Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio took stock of the work by the High Level Group responsible for reflecting on the means for limiting delayed flights in Europe, and pointed out that this work should be completed by end October. Minister Gayssot proposed including the subject on the agenda of the Council in December.
- Slots: The Member States have been invited to reply before 31 October to the questionnaire presented by the Commission for specifying the content of the future legislation on the attribution of time slots in Community airports.
- Flights over Siberia: The Council noted the laborious discussions with Russia concerning the double fee system for flights over Siberia that it has made compulsory over the past few years.
- Overland transport.
- "Social Package": The Council noted that there is always considerable divergence over the working hours of lorry drivers and possible compromises on other points of the dossiers, such as the training of drivers, controls and the prevention of social dumping (see EUROPE of 4 October, p.10).
- Breakdown of quotas for heavy goods vehicles circulating in Switzerland: The Council noted that it was impossible to reach a compromise and referred the issue back to the Committee of Permanent Representatives, in the hope of reaching an agreement at the end of November. The matter in hand concerns the sharing between Member States the quota of 250,000 lorries of over 28 tonnes authorised to transit through Switzerland as of 1 January 2000, by means of a fee under the transitional application of the EU/Switzerland agreement on transport. Germany calls for a rapid decision, while three Member States (Italy, Netherlands, Spain) challenge the keys for breakdown used by the Commission. Belgium is generally opposed to the proposal of the European Executive. The agreement not yet being ratified by all Member States, the discussion has become complicated since Switzerland threatened to apply its environmental tax on heavy goods vehicles before the agreement came into force. Negotiations will also continue in this field.
Public Services: The Council noted the draft regulations on the public service obligation and the State aid granted to public transport, which in fact opens the road to "controlled liberalisation" of public transport, presented in July by the European Commission (see EUROPE of 27 July, p.6). It will hold a policy debate on this subject in December.
