The hearing of Antonio Tajani Commissioner for Transport

Publication date: 18 June 2008

At a hearing before MEPs on Monday, Antonio Tajani, the Italian Commissioner-designate for transport, faced around three hours of questions on issues such as state subsidies for airlines, trans-European rail-freight corridors, port infrastructure and piracy in EU waters. He promised to press member states to invest more in trans-European infrastructure projects and to ensure air passengers' rights under EU law are fully respected.

The hearing was organised by the transport committee, with participation from the budgets committee.  On Tuesday morning, the MEPs involved will draw up a letter of evaluation, which will be considered by parliament's political group leaders in the conference of presidents in the afternoon, after which it will be made public.  The plenary session will vote on Wednesday on whether to support Tajani's appointment.
 

Opening the hearing the transport committee chairman Paolo Costa (ALDE, IT) underlined what he considered as being the most important dossiers: maritime safety package, railways agency, cross-border enforcement to pursuing and sanctioning traffic offences, Eurovignette, freight transport, a European maritime transport space without barriers, ERTMS, transport emissions and road safety. He called on the European commission and the commissioner–designate to be courageous before the member states notably on the question of funding. We are also expecting the right implementation of the EU law by the commissioner. He encouraged Mr Tajani to commit himself on the development of alternatives (the use of ICT, biofuels etc.) to face the oil price crisis. He stressed the need to put forward the concept of sustainable mobility.

"Without a strong transport policy, there is no united Europe," incoming transport commissioner Antonio Tajani told MEPs. Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty and demonstrations across Europe against oil price rises show we need a Europe "capable of responding to citizens' short-term needs", he said, adding that transport is clearly an area where we need "more Europe", because modern transport infrastructure and affordable services "are a driver for economic and social development, growth, and jobs."

He added he could reply “yes” to all questions raised by Costa and then said that a communication from the commission will be presented on Wedneday to the MEPs in plenary session regarding the oil price rise.

He focused his speech on four main points: mobility, protection of citizens and environment, innovation and international perspective.

On mobility, he indicated the forthcoming initiative of the commission on the Single Sky, the promotion of TEN-T and the implementation of EU law.

Regarding the protection of citizens and environment, he mentioned road safety as being one of his priority but also his willingness to close the dossier on the maritime safety package.

On aviation, he said he wanted the highest level of safety while reducing burden for passengers. He expressed his intention to publish safety rules, in particular the ones which applied to passengers. He will propose, this summer, a new version of regulation 622/2003. In addition, he said he would set up a roadmap on the review of the regulation on liquid putting forward an alternative method to detect dangerous liquids. He then said few words on the green transport package to be published on July 8 and expressed his determination to ensure passengers’ right for all modes of transport.

On innovation, he mentioned Galileo saying it had to be a success, the development of SESAR and ERTMS and the role technology could play for the establishment of a European maritime transport space without barriers.

Finally, talking about the international dimension, he touched upon the development of transport in Western Balkans, the air agreement with the US, Australia and New Zealand.

Concluding his speech, he said he will meet once more with the coordinators and the president of the committee and will regularly come before the European parliament.

Finally he mentioned his six priorities:

-         The European Single Sky
-         Greening Package
-         The conclusion of maritime safety package
-         Road safety
-         Passengers rights
-         The deployment of Galileo

 Source: DODS EU Monitoring