Brussels, 26/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - German Federal Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee explained this week that the German presidency of the EU's top priorities when it comes to transport are efficient transport and increasing mobility. Speaking to the European Parliament's Transport Committee in Brussels on 23 January, Tiefensee said that mobility of both people and goods was the strategic element for the creation of a competitive and efficient transport network. He also stressed the need to pay particular attention to transport in the new member states to ensure they can be fully integrated into the EU economic area.
Integrating the new member states will be the most difficult for rail, although the third rail package does move in the right direction. Tiefensee recognised positive aspects of the mutual recognition of rolling stock, but was far more sceptical about the EU driving licence mooted in the report by Belgian ALDE MEP Dirk Sterckcx. Tiefensee also expressed doubts about the need to extend certificates for on-board staff (other than drivers), given problems with defining who exactly on-board staff are.
With regard to air transport, the German presidency will be paying greater attention to the SESAR system for air traffic control and coordination. It has raised the question of civil aviation safety, going against the desires of the MEPs and European Commission (which have just adopted a report on giving the European Air Safety Agency greater powers). The German minister promised to ensure progress was made in aviation negotiations with the United States over the establishment of an Open Skies system, which has been in deadlock since 2003. He made a personal pledge to attend the negotiations (scheduled to be re-launched in Washington on 5 February). Tiefensee said the German presidency wanted to see the third maritime security package ERIKA III adopted and inland navigation promoted. He announced the publication of a Green Paper on maritime policy later in 2007.
Tiefensee said that progress was required in the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) and promised that the 7th TEN-T proposal would be put in place. The German presidency also wants to see progress with Galileo through speeding up the finance contract negotiations.