Strengthened passenger rights for travel by bus are an important item on the agenda when the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) meets on 17–18 December.
Strengthened passenger rights for travel by bus are an important item on the agenda when the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) meets on 17–18 December. At the meeting on 17 December, transport issues are on the agenda, while on 18 December the ministers will discuss telecommunications. The Council is chaired by Swedish Minister for Communications Åsa Torstensson.
Strengthened passenger rights
The ministers will begin by attempting to reach a political agreement on a regulation on bus and coach passenger rights. The regulation includes rules on the transport operator's responsibility for death and injury of passengers and the right to information, compensation and assistance for passengers in the event of cancellations or severe delays. In addition, the regulation establishes the right to information and assistance for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility.
Intelligent Transport Systems
Next, the Presidency will inform the meeting about the state of play in the negotiations with the European Parliament on the directive on the deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems in the field of road transport in Europe (ITS Directive). ITS will ensure that users and service providers have access to high-quality road transport data and that information can be exchanged between traffic information and control bodies in the different Member States. The aim is to achieve high-class, cross-border ITS services and more effective use of methods for intelligent transport in transport policy.
Sustainable future transport
The Council is also expected to adopt conclusions on a communication from the Commission that describes priorities for future European transport policy, “A sustainable future for transport: Towards an integrated, technology-led and user friendly system”. The communication was discussed at the TTE Council on 9 October 2009, which resulted in the drawing up of draft Council conclusions. These Council conclusions are intended to help the Commission in its ongoing process towards a new policy document.
Aviation security charges
On the aviation sector, the Council will receive a progress report on a proposal for a directive on aviation security charges and will authorise the Commission to negotiate a cooperation agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The proposal builds on a number of principles, which mean that the charges set shall be non-discriminatory, cost-based and transparent, and that there will be a supervisory authority in each Member State. The ministers will attempt to reach agreement on a general focus before the issue is discussed further.
Maritime policy
Within maritime policy the Council will attempt to decide a general focus with regard to a directive on reporting formalities for ships arriving in and departing from EU ports.
The end purpose of the directive is to simplify sea transport within the European Union with the help of simplified administrative procedures. An example of this is the proposal that reporting formalities be dealt with electronically instead of in paper form.
i2010 – strategy for the information society
The Council will hold a policy debate on the EU strategy for the information society, i2010, which will expire next year. The starting point for the debate is a report from the Commission on the most important outcomes of the i2010 strategy over the period 2005–2009. The Council is also expected to adopt conclusions on the issue.
The digital dividend
The ministers are expected to adopt conclusions on the Commission communication on how the digital dividend can be converted into social benefits and economic growth. The digital dividend refers to those radio frequencies that are freed up in the ground network with the transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting.