Brussels, 21/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - As announced (see EUROPE 9155), a political agreement on a European driving licence is more than likely to be reached at the Transport Council to be held on 27 March under the chairmanship of Austrian Transport Minister Hubert Gorbach. Aviation security and external relations in aviation, with in particular the question of Siberian overflights, will also be on the Council agenda.
Land Transport
The Austrian Presidency made road safety one of its priorities in the field of transport. It has worked especially hard, then, to present an compromise acceptable to the Council and the Parliament on the draft proposal on the introduction of a single European Driving licence. It is expected that this compromise will be adopted without discussion by the Council on Monday (see EUROPE 9155). The Council is also due to adopt without discussion the “Eurovignette” directive on charging heavy goods vehicles for using certain infrastructures. The Commission will then present its mid-term review of the European road safety strategy (see EUROPE 9135), which was one of the main topics at the informal meeting of Transport Ministers at Bregenz on 2 and 3 March, during which it was decided to launch a European road safety campaign in 2007 (see EUROPE 9144).
Working from a questionnaire prepared by the Presidency, the Council will hold an exploratory debate on the revised proposal for the regulation on public transport rail and road services, presented by the Commission in July 2005 (see EUROPE 8995). The Commission will also present its “Naiades” action plan promoting inland waterway transport within the EU (see EUROPE 9110), a topic dear to the heart of the Austrian Presidency.
Air Transport
Awaiting the European Parliament's opinion on the first reading, the Council will try to agree on a general approach on a proposal for a regulation on common rules in the field of aviation security. Presented by the Commission in September 2005, amending regulation 2320/2002 adopted following the 11 September New York terrorist outrages, the proposal seeks to simplify European rules in this field (see EUROPE 9034). The Council will also take note of a progress report on the SESAR programme, the new generation air traffic control system in Europe (see EUROPE 9071).
External Relations
The Council could adopt a decision authorising the Commission to begin negotiations with Russia to try to resolve the thorny issue of Siberian overflights, for which Moscow imposes exorbitant taxes on European airline companies. Additionally, the Commission will inform Member States of the latest developments in aviation negotiations with the United States. Even if negotiations are concluded, an agreement will still depend on a change in American legislation on foreign ownership and control of American airline companies (see EUROPE 9128).
Other topics on the Council agenda include the European global navigation system by means of the Galileo satellite, with information from the Commission on the progress of on-going negotiations with the consortium (see EUROPE 9154), the review of the EU sustainable development strategy (see EUROPE 9090) and the removal of the draft directive liberalising port services within the EU.