2TRAN NEWS / 21-22 December 2015

PRESENTATION OF DRAFT OPINION

Discharges 2014: European Commissionand AgenciesRapporteurs Commission: Massimiliano Salini(EPP, IT); Agencies: Inés Ayala Sender (S&D, ES)

The Rapporteurs were in favour of grantingdischarges to the Commission, the transportAgencies and SESAR, the European air trafficmanagement system Joint Undertaking.

Infrastructure investment was highlighted as akey priority for the EU transport budget.Members invited the Commission to ensure thatthe Executive Director of the Shift2Rail JointUndertaking was appointed to make it fullyoperational. Some Members regretted the lowamount of the EU budget spent on tourism.Members also supported granting discharge forthe Commission and the other bodies.

PRESENTATIONS

Presentation by DG MOVE on common rulesand standards for ship inspection andsurvey organisationsThe Commission explained the economicimportance for the shipbuiling industry of themutual recognition of class certificates,delivered by classification societies, testifyingthat ships are fit for purpose. These certificatesare currently based on criteria established byclass societies themselves. To ensure theirequivalence - and so mutual recognition - it isimportant to harmonise the underlyingassessment standards.

Members welcomed the mutual recognition ofclass certificates and the harmonisation ofstandards. They also questioned whether the EUshipbuilding was at a disadvantage comparedto its competitors in Asia as European class

certificates were issued on the basis of thehighest standards.

Presentation on "The Results and Efficiencyof Railway Infrastructure Financing withinthe EU"The study's authors emphasised the importanceof good access links; a feature of the Öresundfixed link between Copenhagen and Malmö.By contrast, the Northern Europe high speednetwork linking Paris, Brussels, Cologne,Amsterdam and London lacked sufficientfeeder services, disadvantaging “shadowregions” in Northern France and Kent. The studyalso highlighted the need to simplify fundingoptions and the limits to relying on private-sector funding.

Members regretted Member States’ reluctanceto invest in cross-border links. They shared thestudy’s concern about the loss of regionalconnections to key hubs and noted that

3TRAN NEWS / 21-22 December 2015

private sector involvement, including the use ofthe European Fund for Strategic Investments(EFSI), required that the infrastructure generateprofits.

Some questioned the study’s methodology,suggesting that there were inconsistencies inthe way the projects had been analysed. Theypointed to the success of the South WestEurope high speed network (connectingMadrid with Paris via Barcelona and viaBilbao/Bordeaux) in promoting modal shift fromair to rail travel. Others criticised the prioritybeing given to large-scale projects such asStuttgart 21 or Lyon-Turin, believing that lower-cost, targeted investments could offer bettervalue for money.

The study’s authors defended theirmethodology but acknowledged that smaller-scale projects could offer better value. Theyalso recognised that it was easier to evaluatefinancial than environmental or social benefits.The study had been prepared at the request ofthe Committee on Budgetary Control andincluded four cases studies of priority projectsunder the Trans-European Networks forTransport guidelines from 2004.

EXCHANGE OF VIEWS

With the Commission and stakeholders onUberRepresentatives of Uber, the International RoadUnion and the European Transport Workers'Federation set out their perspectives on thenew Transport Network Companies.

During the debate, many Members insisted thatsuch services should not circumvent existingnational, regional or local rules, especiallywhen the latter relate to road safety, liability incase of accidents, data privacy, social aspectsor taxation. Members also stressed the

importance of regulating this sector andensuring fair competition.

The Commission is carrying out a study of thecurrent regulatory and market situation ofpassenger transport by taxi, hire car with driverand the ridesharing sector. This will provide thenecessary background to consider the need forfurther action at EU level.

This discussion was a follow up to severalinitiatives taken by the Committee, includingrecent own-initiative reports on theimplementation of the White Paper and onsustainable urban mobility. The Committee hadalso called on the Commission to monitor thesituation in different Member States as regardsthe operation of companies matching driversto passengers (Uber being the most prominentexample), and to assess the legal, social andeconomic consequences.

SCRUTINY

Presentation by DG MOVE of animplementing act concerning rules for theuse of rear aerodynamic devices ("rearflaps")The debate was focused on the aerodynamicsdevices used on trucks. Members asked theCommission about the timetable for future

4TRAN NEWS / 21-22 December 2015

legislation. A proposal concerning rearaerodynamic devices should be ready by June2016, while legislation on cabs' design shouldbe proposed by the end of 2016. TheCommission promised to follow Parliament’sview on the draft implementing act.

Presentation by DG MOVE of draftRegulatory Procedure with Scrutinyconcerning aviation measuresThe Commission explained that the proposedimplementing measures mainly reflectedtechnical progress. Pilot training andrequirements regarding data services providersneeded to be adapted to Performance-BasedNavigation technology. The measure oncollision avoidance, based on a EuropeanAviation Safety Agency opinion, was importantto ensure coherence with the Single Sky.

The debate focused on pilot training. Membersquestioned whether progress had been madeon pilot testing after the German Wings crash,in particular with regard to psychological testsor pilotage under influence. The Commissionreplied that EASA was working on an actionplan regarding pilot testing. The question ofcabin air quality was also brought up.

HEARING

Competition in international aviationThe speakers (OECD-International TransportForum, Association of European Airlines,European Low Fares Airline Association,European Cockpit Association, Airports CouncilInternational Europe and DG MOVE) explainedthe current state of play, its impact andpossible ways to ensure a level playing field.

Air transport remains highly economicallyregulated despite liberalisation measures whichhave taken place over the last 40 years.

© European Union 2015

The benefits of these measures for consumersand airlines, such as more connectivity,development of new airlines and cheaperfares, are widely acknowledged. However,issues related to state aid, social obligationsand labour standards as well as public fundingfor airports and air navigation services, leadsome European Union carriers to complainabout the lack of a level playing field whencompeting with third-country carriers.

The debate demonstrated that this conceptremains very difficult to define, as factors varyfrom one country/region to another and thereis no common definition of unfair practices.While a level playing field may appear to be an"elusive aspiration", improvements could bemade by maintaining a market with multipleoptions for travellers and focusing the aviationvalue chain on users' needs.

A global competition framework urgentlyneeds to be developed. Members underlinedthat these principles should guide futureaviation agreement negotiations between theEU and third countries.

5TRAN NEWS / 21-22 December 2015

NEXT TRAN COMMITTEE MEETING, BRUSSELS

Planned draft agenda - To be confirmed

Monday, 25 January, afternoon:

Announcement of Council's position at1st reading on 4th Railway PackageTechnical Pillar: Directive on theinteroperability of rail system, Directiveon railway safety and Regulation on ERA;

Ports services regulation - vote; Luxembourg Minister for Infrastructure

and Sustainable Development, MrFrançois Bausch - Presentation ofconclusions of the Presidency;

Dutch Minister for Infrastructure andEnvironment, Ms Melanie Schulz VanHaegen - Presentation of Presidencypriorities; and

Agreement on certain aspects of airservices with Macao SAR.

Meeting room: P3C050

TRAN Committee meetings 2016, Brussels

Monday, 25 January, 15h00-18h30

Monday, 15 February, 15h00-18h30Tuesday, 16 February, 9h00-12h30Tuesday, 16 February, 15h00-18h30

Monday, 14 March, 15h00-18h30Tuesday, 15 March, 9h00-12h30Tuesday, 15 March, 15h00-18h30

Thursday, 7 April, 9h00-12h30Thursday, 7 April, 15h00-18h30

Monday, 25 April, 15h00-18h30Tuesday, 26 April, 9h00-12h30Tuesday, 26 April, 15h00-18h30

Monday, 23 May, 15h00-18h30Tuesday, 24 May, 9h00-12h30Tuesday, 24 May, 15h00-18h30

Wednesday, 15 June, 9h00-12h30Wednesday, 15 June, 15h00-18h30Thursday, 16 June, 9h00-12h30

Monday, 11 July, 15h00-18h30Tuesday, 12 July, 9h00-12h30Tuesday, 12 July, 15h00-18h30

Thursday, 1 September, 9h00-12h30Thursday, 1 September, 15h00-18h30

Monday, 26 September, 15h00-18h30

Monday, 10 October, 15h00-18h30Tuesday, 11 October, 9h00-12h30Tuesday, 11 October, 15h00-18h30

Wednesday, 9 November, 9h00-12h30Wednesday, 9 November, 15h00-18h30Thursday, 10 November, 9h00-12h30

Monday, 5 December, 15h00-18h30

6TRAN NEWS / 21-22 December 2015

USEFUL LINKS

TRAN website:http://www.europarl.europa.eu/TRAN

Policy Department Publication in the European Parliament:http://www.europarl.europa.eu/supporting-analyses

European Aviation Safety Agency newsletters:http://easa.europa.eu/communications/general-publications.php

European Railway Agency newsletters:http://www.era.europa.eu/Communication/Newsletter

European Maritime Safety Agency newsletters:http://www.emsa.europa.eu/news-a-press-centre/newsletters.html

SESAR Joint Undertaking newshttp://www.sesarju.eu/newsroom/all-news

Innovation& Networks Executive Agency:http://ec.europa.eu/inea/en

DG MOVE newsletter:http://ec.europa.eu/transport/newsletter

Luxembourg Presidency of the Council:http://www.eu2015lu.eu

Netherlands Presidency of the Council:http://english.eu2016.nl/

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