Meeting of the Council of the European Union for Transport, Telecommunications and Energy

Before the meeting, on 21 March 2007, the Ministers of Transport of the EU member countries participated in the discussion on “Transport vs. Energetic Efficiency and Climate Changes”.
According to the Agenda adopted by the council, there were the following issues under discussion:
• the European satellite navigation project (GALILEO),
• balanced approach to transport policy and climate protection under the conclusions of the Council on the Lisbon Strategy (adopted on 19 February 2007).
• EU – USA negotiations on the air transport agreement,
• flights over Syberia,
• the European Commission issued a press release to the European Council and Parliament: “Extension of Transport Corridors to the Neighbouring Countries” and “Transport Guidelines for Europe and its Neighbours”,
• SESAR (Single European Sky Airspace Research) – the European Commission issued a press release on SESAR implementation,
• state of negotiations with Russia on discriminatory charges for railway cargo transport.

During the meeting, the Ministers talked about the issue of aviation inclusion to the European trade system of greenhouse gas emissions.
Among the most important settlements reached during the meeting was the ratification of the “open sky” agreement between USA and 27 EU member countries.

The agreement is an important stage of air transport development within the European Community and key issue in the integration of the EU member countries, and cooperation of EU with USA. There will be new opportunities to develop air communication between EU and USA.

After the meeting, Minister Jerzy Polaczek organised a press conference during which he said that the agreement would benefit passengers due to the liberalisation of air traffic over the Atlantic.
The agreement will be presented for ratification by the European Parliament during the April session in Strasbourg. The agreement will be signed during the ceremony of the EU – USA summit in Washington on 30 April 2007.

It was also very important that the European Council decided to sign the EU – Russia agreement on flights over Syberia.
The conclusion of the agreement will facilitate flights between EU, including Poland and the Asian countries especially Japan, China or South Korea. The agreement may contribute to launch flight connections with the countries hereabove by the Polish carriers.
The Polish side also raised the issue of discriminatory charges for railway cargo transport over the area of the Russian Federation. The Russian side is said to use underestimated tariff rates on the directions towards “Russian ports” so that they could artificially create transport corridors by way of increasing transport profitability through the Russian ports to the detriment of those corridors going through the Baltic ports and land routes. The European Commission is holding discussions on this issue under the negotiations on Russion membership in WTO.