17-18 June Transport Council

Date: 20/06/1996

MINISTERS approved a draft mandate to allow the European Commission to begin negotiations with the US on opening up each others' civil aviation markets. Only the UK opposed the idea of an 'open skies' arrangement and was outvoted. To start with, the Commission plans to confine itself to talks covering issues such as competition rules, investment possibilities, the attribution of time slots and shareholdings in air companies. But on the basis of progress in these areas, and only on the explicit instructions of the Council, the negotiations could be widened to include market access. Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock welcomed the decision, saying: “I am very pleased with this mandate. It will ensure that EU carriers can take full benefit of liberalised global air markets and secure for themselves and their passengers free, fair and - above all - reciprocal rights across the Atlantic through the creation of a common aviation area with the world's greatest air power.” The Council did not set a timetable for negotiations, but officials said talks with the US authorities would begin shortly.

COUNCIL reacted favourably to the Commission's plans to improve air safety. Coreper (the Committee of permanent representatives) will now continue discussions on the action plan, which would introduce improved checking procedures, pooled information on dangerous air operators and a binding directive requiring airport authorities to ground non-EU aircraft suspected of being unfit to fly. The Commission will prepare a directive on the state of airport controls. Ministers also held further talks on the Commission's White Paper on air traffic management.

KINNOCK gave a progress report on negotiations with Switzerland on land and air transport relations. Austria and France insisted that Swiss plans to charge for truck transit should not result in lorries being diverted through their countries, and were supported by the Netherlands. Several member states also insisted that Union trucks be given access to the Swiss plateau from the start of the agreement. Four main issues are still outstanding: who should be responsible for implementing EU laws linked to the deal, Swiss air traffic rights, road access to the main Swiss population centres and the planned charging structure to replace the current Swiss ban on transit trucks of over 28 tonnes.

THE Commission also received a mandate to negotiate with the European Space Agency and Eurocontrol on the EU's input to the development of global satellite navigation systems. Brief discussions were also held on the Green Paper on external costs in transport and ministers reached a political accord on plans to harmonise driving licence codes. Directives on vocational qualifications for dangerous goods transport safety advisers and on marine equipment went through as 'A-points'.

DURING a public debate in front of television cameras, transport ministers broadly welcomed the Commission's communication on a new

Union maritime strategy, which suggests a two-fold approach based on introducing safety and fair competition in international markets and improving the competitiveness of EU shipping companies. There was some criticism, with the UK calling for measures to eliminate state subsidies and substandard shipping. Several countries stressed the need to ensure safety for ships sailing under all flags. Other member states underlined how crucial the shipping sector was in the creation of jobs and all agreed on the importance of training and research and development.