| Author (Person) | Carstens, Karen |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.10, No.25, 8.7.04 |
| Publication Date | 08/07/2004 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 08/07/04 KARLA Peij's plans to mobilize some old-fashioned know-how to boost an overlooked mode of transport during the Dutch presidency. Her title is minister for transport, public works and water management, in a country that boasts the biggest port in Europe: Rotterdam. So it should come as no great surprise that she aims to turn EU policymakers' attention to inland waterways and short-sea shipping routes, arguing that they can help reduce road traffic throughout the Union, from Riga to Rome. The 59-year-old Christian Democrat is very familiar with Brussels and Strasbourg. She was a member of the European Parliament from 1989 until 2003, when she was appointed transport minister during the second government led by Jan Peter Balkenende . She says she will focus on fostering hi-tech solutions to improve safety and security across the entire transport sector, while maintaining the "less is more" maxim of cutting back regulatory red tape wherever possible. "Two of the four fundamental rights of the [EU] internal market have to do with transport - the free movement of people and of goods," she says. "So one of our first priorities should be the safe movement of people and goods." The Dutch, who took over the rotating six-month EU presidency from the Irish on 1 July, will host an informal meeting of transport ministers from the EU-25 on Friday and Saturday (9-10 July). They will be joined by representatives from Norway and the candidate countries, Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania. The meeting starts in Amsterdam but, on the second day, ministers will travel by train to Rotterdam where Peijs will open the harbour railway line. She and her Spanish counterpart, Magdalena Alvarez Arza, will then load a container on a boat destined for Spain from the Rotterdam Short Sea Terminal. Discussions on the first day will be devoted to debating trends in the aviation sector, including the rapid development of low-cost carriers, and enhanced access for airlines from the ten new member states to the EU market. On Saturday (10 July) the emphasis will be on short sea shipping, with the aim of developing a broad consensus on a range of measures, such as reducing administrative burdens weighing down customs procedures. The Dutch are championing the idea of a seal of quality, to give assurance of improved standards of sea transport. They want the European Commission to put forward a proposal for such a "quality seal" before the end of the year. The Commission has already backed the notion of expanding traffic on several so-called motorways of the sea, notably in the Baltic region. "There is a lot of interest in this from the member states," says Peijs, emphasizing that even landlocked nations such as Austria are keen to see shipping routes developed to relieve heavy cross-border lorry traffic, particularly in light of ongoing clashes over more controversial tolls or fuel taxes. Peijs believes that full liberalization of the railway sector has long been overdue. The Dutch presidency will focus on improving the quality of freight transport to relieve road congestion and getting a proposed EU-wide locomotive engine driver's licence, part of the third railway package, on track. "But these two items are [already agreed] technicalities that will not be politically sensitive," Peijs says. Her centre-right party backed a controversial agreement between the EU and US on retaining data on air passengers, which others in the Parliament vehemently opposed. Peijs is in favour of armed sky marshals on airplanes, but adds that it is harder to police trains in a similar manner. "Even if you have an armed person for every other rail passenger, someone could still slip through with something in their bag," she admits. She said the Dutch presidency would focus on safety and security measures throughout "the whole transport chain" with a minimal impact on commercial activity. "This is very important, and we should deal with this very carefully," she says. "You can't work in [one of] the biggest ports in the world with too many barriers." Security is already pretty tight in Rotterdam, she adds, and should be in other ports as well. "It's a huge, huge thing to do. But we will do it. I think it's very important for Europe that we start with this process…of finding a way of protecting ourselves and the goods that go to the US in a very solid way and in a very practical way." Some ports are more affected than others, she adds: "The danger is not as big everywhere. If you have a port in the Baltic where beer and sausage is loaded up for transport within Europe, the security risk will probably be lower than at a port with a lot of exports to the US." Peijs steers carefully clear of what has been the hottest topic in the aviation sector. She doubts that an EU-US "open skies" agreement will be clinched this year, predicting that it would prove highly difficult for a newly formed European Commission to broker a deal on behalf of 25 member states in the immediate aftermath of November's US elections. "I'm not sure we can make it," she said. "Some of the member states have very strong feelings about this." Negotiations for a single transatlantic open skies airline pact stalled last month after EU transport ministers rejected an offer from Washington arguing that it lacked any significant opening of US domestic routes to EU carriers. The US had agreed to let EU investors own up to 49% of voting stock in a US carrier, up from 25%, but would not agree to give European airlines access to domestic US routes, known as cabotage. American airlines, by contrast, have access to the domestic markets of the 15 EU countries that have bilateral agreements with the US. Loyola de Palacio, the outgoing energy and transport commissioner, was accused by the British of being too anxious to do a deal. But she now accepts that an agreement is improbable. Leaving aside the open skies negotiations, Peijs praises de Palacio, who has consistently come under fire from environmental campaigners for her allegedly "dirty" energy policies. The Dutchwoman said the outspoken Spaniard had done "everything she promised to do" at the start of her five-year term, unlike others - although she refused to name names. "She is one of the few commissioners who finished her whole programme," said Peijs. "I think she did a terrific job." Peijs said de Palacio had pushed through important legislation in the maritime and railway sectors and done her utmost to move the open skies talks forward on behalf of the Commission. The Dutch presidency has limited scope to advance legislation with a new Parliament and, in a few months' time, a new Commission still settling in. But Peijs attaches importance to two conferences the presidency is organizing this Autumn, in an attempt to advance policymakers' thinking. A two-day conference in October will focus on alternative fuels and new engines, with the aim of feeding into the new Commission's long-term work programme on sustainable transport. A three-day conference in November will focus on "innovation in infrastructure". Peijs' six-month agenda will also pay attention to transport beyond the EU. It is important not only to improve transport networks between old and new member states, but also to help out "our new neighbours" beyond the Union's borders, she says. In particular, Peijs says she would like to see some of the EU's Interreg funds - which aim to stimulate inter-regional cooperation - spread to these countries "so we can share some of our prosperity with them". Despite these ambitions, Peijs also emphasizes how the Dutch presidency will aim to pick up where the Irish left off (and where next year's Luxembourg and UK presidencies' plan to continue) with the plan of better and less regulation. "Every rule that comes out of Brussels is increasing the red tape," Peijs cautions. "Now we will have a lot of commissioners. I have always been very afraid that, when you have 25 commissioners, well, they [all] have to have something to do. And I hope that they will do more than propose legislation." As the Netherlands takes over the reins of the EU Presidency, July-December 2004, Dutch Transport Minister, Karla Peijs, is focusing on waterways, safer transport and slashing red tape. Preview of issues to be discussed at the Informal Transport Council, Amsterdam, 9-10 July 2004. |
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| Source Link | http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Subject Categories | Mobility and Transport |
