3-4 October Transport Council

Date: 10/10/1996

TRANSPORT ministers agreed to begin talks with the ten applicant countries of central and eastern Europe on creating a 25-nation single market in civil aviation. The negotiations, which will start early next year, aim to replace the current web of bilateral aviation agreements with a single framework, bringing the applicant countries' safety and technical standards into line with those of the EU, while also liberalising traffic rights.

MINISTERS held their first discussion on Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock's proposals for a revamped Euro-vignette, aimed at creating a pricing system for lorries which would reflect the environmental damage done by different types of vehicle. Kinnock concluded that a deal remained “a long, long way off”. The Commissioner also presented his PACT proposal for assistance to combined freight transport projects.

LITTLE obvious progress was made towards concluding talks on road transport relations between the EU and Switzerland. Kinnock warned that without an agreement, member states would face a situation in 2005 where they would have no control over the new transit regime introduced by the Berne government. The EU wants a new deal involving easier access to, and transit through, Switzerland. Berne has proposed a phased abolition of its current 28-tonne limit on all lorries, in return for scaled road charges. Italy, Austria and Germany - the member states most directly affected - insisted that the measures be non-discriminatory.

IRELAND's Transport Minister Michael Lowry pledged to hold a more in-depth discussion on the Commission's White Paper on revitalising the rail sector at December's meeting, after ministers considered the paper for the first time. Most delegations agreed with the Commission's diagnosis of the problems facing the sector, but did not agree on how to solve them. France, Spain, Portugal and Finland were opposed to the plans for express rail freight routes and the establishment of a working group to discuss route details and prices, which will report back to the Council in December. The Commission's initiative is an attempt to end the dominance of road transport, which in 1994 claimed over 70&percent; of freight traffic in the single market.

LOWRY said he was looking for a deal at December's Council on passenger compensation in the event of an air accident, involving an increase in award levels and a move towards unlimited liability. He also welcomed progress on over- seeing the safety standards of airlines operating to and from the EU. After ministers had examined the White Paper on air traffic management, Kinnock pledged to submit new proposals by the time ministers next meet.

MINISTERS held talks with their counterparts from the central and eastern European countries, to discuss tariff rates and the development of common policies on rail and bi-modal transport.

THERE were orientation debates on a draft regulation on the conditions to be attached to access to EU road passenger markets for non-national transport companies and on simplifying procedures for the international carriage of passengers by bus and coach. Both issues will be sent to Coreper (the Committee of permanent representatives) for further study.

THE COUNCIL heard details of a new proposal on the shipment of nuclear fuels which would add a special code relating to irradiated nuclear fuels to the existing directive on reporting requirements for dangerous and polluting substances.

LOWRY's colleague Sean Barrett, minister for the marine, was optimistic about getting an agreement on the fishing vessel safety directive at the next Council, after ministers made significant progress on the proposal. The directive would require all fishing vessels of over 24 metres to comply with stringent safety standards on construction, fire protection, crewing procedures and communication equipment.