Transport Ministers of Presiding Trio Satisfied with Progress
Transport Minister Radovan Zerjav and his German and Portuguese counterparts outlined in Brussels on Tuesday the EU presiding trio's achievements in transport. Zerjav pointed out that talks on the transport agreement with the Western Balkans, which was one of the trio's priorities, will kick off today.
The presiding trio's priorities included the European Galileo satellite navigation programme, the road transport liberalisation package and transport agreement with the Western Balkans, Zerjav told the press.
"As a trio we were undoubtedly more successful than each of us could have been on their own," Zerjav told a press conference with his German counterpart Wolfgang Tiefensee and Portuguese Transport Minister Mario Lino.
The main priority was definitely the Galileo programme, Zerjav said. Since the very beginning of the presidency, it was clear that an appropriate statutory framework and plan of financing must be set up to keep the project alive and all this has been done, he pointed out.
Zerjav moreover pointed to the progress in the area of road transport liberalisation. The Slovenian presidency managed to bring the countries closer in this respect and increase road safety he said and highlighted the clean vehicles directive as the first directive for greener transport.
Turning to the Western Balkans, Zerjav pointed out that the European Commission will start negotiations with the region on a transport agreement today. Zerjav and European Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani will take part in a ceremony at the launch of the talks.
The ministers also touched on aviation and shipping and said that a solution to high petrol prices must be found soon. "We have to find a way to burn less fuel and turn to renewable energy sources," German Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee said.
"The trio was successful, but there is still a lot to be done... We have contributed to the consolidation of the European transport policy, but now is the time to develop future strategies for the transport sector," Portuguese Minister Mario Lino added.
Germany, Portugal and Slovenia, the trio that has been at the helm of the bloc for the last 18 months, prepared a join plan for the presidencies. Each country subsequently specified the priorities of its six-month stint based on the combined plan.
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