Kunsill Trasport, Telekomunikazzjoni u Enerġija (Trasport), 2 ta' Ġunju 2022

Punti ewlenin fuq l‑aġenda

Il-ministri għat-trasport tal-UE huma mistiedna jadottaw approċċi ġenerali dwar it-tliet komponenti rilevanti tal-pakkett "Lesti għall-mira ta' 55%", li għandu l-għan li jnaqqas l-emissjonijiet ta' gassijiet serra tal-UE b'mill-inqas 55% sal-2030.

Infrastruttura tal-fjuwils alternattivi

It-tnaqqis tal-użu tal-fjuwils fossili fit-trasport huwa wieħed mill-elementi ewlenin biex l-UE tilħaq in-newtralità klimatika sal-2050. Sabiex jintlaħaq dan l-għan, jeħtieġ li jkun hemm biżżejjed punti tal-irriċarġjar u tar-riforniment għall-karozzi, l-ajruplani u l-vapuri.

Ir-regolament dwar l-infrastruttura tal-fjuwils alternattivi (AFIR) jistabbilixxi miri konkreti għall-iżvilupp ta' infrastruttura bħal din fl-UE fis-snin li ġejjin.

Il-ministri tal-UE ser jimmiraw li jadottaw approċċ ġenerali dwar il-proposta.

• Fit for 55 package: Council adopts its position on three texts relating to the transport sector (press release, 2 June 2022)
• Lesti għall-mira ta' 55% (informazzjoni ġenerali)

Fjuwils tat-trasport sostenibbli

Il-fjuwils tat-trasport sostenibbli jistgħu jaqdu rwol ewlieni fit-tnaqqis tal-emissjonijiet ta' gassijiet serra. Is-settur tal-avjazzjoni u dak marittimu bħalissa jiddependu kważi esklużivament fuq il-fjuwils fossili.

Ir-regolamenti l-ġodda għandhom l-għan li jiżguraw kundizzjonijiet ekwivalenti ta' kompetizzjoni għat-trasport sostenibbli tal-ajru (l-inizjattiva ReFuelEU Aviation) u dwar l-użu ta' fjuwils rinnovabbli u b'livell baxx ta' emissjonijiet tal-karbonju fit-trasport marittimu (FuelEU Maritime). L-għan tagħhom huwa li jżidu l-użu ta' fjuwils sostenibbli mill-inġenji tal-ajru u mill-vapuri biex inaqqsu l-impronta ambjentali tagħhom.

Il-Kunsill qabel dwar approċċ ġenerali għaż-żewġ proposti.

• General approach on alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR)

Sistemi ta' trasport intelliġenti

Il-Kunsill għandu l-għan li jadotta approċċ ġenerali dwar ir-reviżjoni tad-direttiva dwar is-sistemi ta' trasport intelliġenti (ITS), li għandha tikkontribwixxi għat-trasformazzjoni fundamentali tas-sistema Ewropea tat-trasport biex jintlaħaq l-objettiv ta' mobbiltà sostenibbli, intelliġenti u reżiljenti.

Id-diġitalizzazzjoni hija mutur indispensabbli ta' din it-trasformazzjoni. Id-diġitalizzazzjoni ser twassal biex is-sistema kollha tat-trasport issir bla xkiel u aktar effiċjenti. Ser tkompli żżid ukoll il-livelli ta' sikurezza, sigurtà, affidabbiltà u kumdità.

• General approach on FuelEU Maritime

Vapuri tal-passiġġieri

Il-ministri tal-UE ser ifittxu qbil għal approċċ ġenerali dwar it-titjib tar-rekwiżiti ta' stabbiltà għall-vapuri tal-passiġġieri roll-on/roll-off bil-ħsieb li jiġi previst qafas legali ċar, sempliċi u aġġornat li jkun aktar faċli biex jiġi implimentat, immonitorjat u infurzat. Ir-regoli l-ġodda għandhom l-għan li jżidu l-livell ġenerali ta' sikurezza għall-vapuri li jwettqu vjaġġi internazzjonali.

In-network trans-Ewropew tat-trasport (TEN-T)

Il-ministri tal-UE ser ikollhom skambju ta' fehmiet dwar il-proposta għal regolament rivedut għan-network trans-Ewropew tat-trasport (TEN-T) bil-ħsieb li tingħata aktar gwida lill-korpi preparatorji tal-Kunsill dwar it-triq 'il quddiem.

L-ambizzjoni tal-politika tat-TEN-T hija li tipprevedi trasport bla xkiel, sostenibbli u effettiv madwar l-Unjoni filwaqt li ssaħħaħ il-koeżjoni soċjali, ekonomika u territorjali.

• Deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems: Council adopts position (press release, 2 June 2022)

Ro-ro passenger ships

The Council adopted its general approach on the draft directive on improved stability requirements for ro-ro passenger ships. This proposal, although highly technical in nature, is important for increasing the safety level of these vessels and therefore for better protecting our citizens.

Ro-ro passenger ships operate numerous maritime routes within Member States, between Member States and with third countries. They are therefore of major importance for the mobility of passengers and goods in Europe.

Ministers supported this proposal, which ensures the level of safety of these ships by ensuring, as far as possible, consistency with the international standards for stability of damaged passenger ships, which were recently updated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) under the 2020 SOLAS Convention. These new international standards must be supplemented in order not to lower the level of the requirements already in force in the Union for new small vessels. For that reason, the text of the Council’s general approach adhered to the logic of the Commission proposal by providing for a level of safety requirements equivalent to existing EU law.

• Ro-ro passenger ships: Council adopts its position on improved stability requirements (press release, 2 June 2022)

Trans-European transport network (TEN-T)

Ministers held an exchange of views on the draft regulation on the development of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T), based on a progress report. They agreed that the policy on the development of the trans-European transport network is a key instrument of the Union’s transport policy. It must encourage sustainable and more efficient transport of people and goods while also strengthening the EU’s economic, social and territorial cohesion by creating a reliable, high-quality transport system free of physical interruptions, missing links and bottlenecks.

Ministers agreed on the principle of revising the regulation currently in force in order to facilitate the transition to sustainable modes of transport. They supported aligning the development of the TEN-T network with the EU’s climate and sustainable development objectives, strengthening the resilience of the TEN-T network and improving the effectiveness of its governance tools.

Ministers pointed out specific points requiring attention, with questions about certain elements of the Commission proposal, in particular the level of certain requirements and deadlines for implementation.

Underlining the importance of this proposal, which concerns infrastructure development in all EU member states, delegations noted that discussions in the Council have progressed significantly. However, given the scope of the revision, the Council has not yet reached agreement on this legislative proposal and the work of the Council’s preparatory bodies will have to continue.

Situation in Ukraine

Over lunch, ministers exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine following their informal video conference meeting on 8 April in order to provide a coordinated response in the field of transport to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Since that meeting, various actions have been carried out at European level: a draft mandate from the Council to the Commission to negotiate an agreement to temporarily liberalise certain road freight operations between the European Union and Ukraine and Moldova has been adopted and should allow the Commission to start negotiations swiftly.

On 12 May, the Commission presented an action plan to help Ukraine export its agricultural products through the establishment of ‘solidarity lanes’ to optimise supply chains and controls between Ukraine and the EU, to establish new transport routes and to avoid bottlenecks. This action plan is based in particular on a platform for exchanges between stakeholders bringing together industry, logistics, representatives of member states and Ukrainian authorities. Short-term measures are also envisaged, including the identification of the logistical capacities available in the EU, as well as medium- and long-term measures to increase the capacity of infrastructure to accommodate larger flows of goods from Ukraine.

On 23 May, the Commission also adopted an emergency plan to strengthen transport resilience in times of crisis, building on experience from the public health crisis (COVID-19) or linked to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In the form of a toolbox, it is based on 10 measures: adapting legislation to crises; providing adequate financial support; creating green lanes to facilitate road freight transport flows; having a coordinated approach to restrictions on free movement within the EU; maintaining minimum transport links and passenger protection; exchanging information among member states; increasing cybersecurity; introducing emergency tests to check the resilience of the sector; co-operating with international partners.

In the light of these elements, and fully supporting all the initiatives and actions described above, ministers held an exchange of views on the various possibilities to remove obstacles and best implement the commitments made in the field of transport to meet the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine.

Any other business

Under any other business, the presidency briefed ministers on the state of play of the proposed decision on the implementation of the notification of offsetting requirements under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) for aircraft operators established in the EU. The Permanent Representatives Committee endorsed a mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament at its meeting on 20 May 2022.

The Dutch and Austrian delegations presented the second progress report on the platform on international rail passenger transport.

The Danish delegation expressed concerns about developments in the road freight transport sector in view of the strong growth in the number of driver attestations for third-country drivers.

• Driver attestations for third-country drivers — information provided by the Commission Delegation

  Din ir-riżorsa bħalissa hi disponibbli biss bil-lingwa jew il-lingwi li ġejjin:

  EN

In addition, the Polish delegation presented a joint statement by nine member states (Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Romania) on the actions needed at European level to enable the continuation and completion of infrastructure investments.

Moreover, the Greek delegation informed about the illegal seizure of two-Greek flagged vessels by Iranian armed groups in the Persian Gulf.

• Information from the Greek Delegation

  Din ir-riżorsa bħalissa hi disponibbli biss bil-lingwa jew il-lingwi li ġejjin:

  EN

As the last item, the incoming Czech presidency presented its work programme for the second half of 2022.