Minister Berner to EU Transport Council

European Union transport ministers will meet in Luxembourg on 7 June. In the Transport Council meeting, Finland will be represented by Ms Anne Berner, Minister of Transport and Communications.

The Council is to adopt a general approach on a directive proposal concerning professional qualifications in inland navigation. It has been Finland's aim to remain outside the scope of the Directive, since the proposal is based on the busy river traffic in Central Europe. It appears that the aim has been achieved and Finland can accept the chair's proposal as the general approach.

The Council is expected to adopt mandates that will allow the Commission to launch negotiations on comprehensive air transport agreements with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey. Finland is in favour of issuing the mandates to the Commission. Finland considers it important that the negotiations will commence with countries that are genuinely interested in entering into an agreement with the EU. Finland has also been in favour of limiting the duration of the mandate, since, because of the ongoing EU-level negotiations, Member States do not have the right to bilateral negotiations on extending the air transport rights.

The ministers will also discuss the preparation of a global market-based measure to address international aviation CO2 emissions underway in the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO. In Finland's view it is very important that the ICAO Assembly will reach agreement on the matter in autumn 2016.

The Transport Council will also take note of a progress report on a regulation proposal on common safety rules for civil aviation. From Finland's perspective one of the key issues in the proposal are the rules on drones. Finland considers it important that the requirements will not be too restrictive as the sector is only just developing.

The ministers will hold a policy debate on the control of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel cars. The debate follows up on revelations of 2015 regarding defeat devices used in emission tests of passenger cars.

A work programme of the incoming presidency, Slovakia, will also be introduced in the meeting.

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