Press Release: Extraordinary Transport Council: Transport Ministers meet to agree response to volcanic ash cloud crisis

European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for transport, presented on Tuesday 4 May 2010, to an extraordinary transport ministers meeting in Brussels, a range of possible short-term actions and structural measures to respond to the repercussions of the volcanic ash crisis. The proposed measures aim in the first place to help passengers and the air transport industry overcome this difficult period – an unprecedented crisis which resulted in the cancellation of over 100,000 flights and left more than 10 million passengers unable to fly. Secondly, the package proposes structural changes to ensure people do not face this situation again. These include proposals for: co-ordinated European action to review safety assessment for volcanic activity at EU level and to revise the ICAO guidelines (International Civil Aviation Organisation) by September 2010; fast tracking critical elements of the Single European Sky II package; and proposals to put in place pan-European mobility planning – so different transport modes can substitute for each other in a crisis situation. The package of measures was proposed in association with Vice-President Almunia (competition and state aid) and Commissioner Rehn (economic and monetary affairs) and endorsed by the College of Commissioners on 27 April 2010.

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