News
Expert group report: Alternative fuels could replace fossil fuels in Europe by 2050
25/01/2011
Vice-President Siim Kallas spoke today at the meeting of the expert group on future transport fuels who presented their report on alternative fuels to the European Commission.
Alternative fuels have the potential to gradually replace fossil energy sources and make transport sustainable by 2050, according to a report presented to the European Commission today by the stakeholder expert group on future transport fuels. The EU will need an oil-free and largely CO2-free energy supply for transport by 2050 due to the need to reduce its impact on the environment and concerns about the security of energy supply. The expert group has for the first time developed a comprehensive approach covering the whole transport sector. Expected demand from all transport modes could be met through a combination of electricity (batteries or hydrogen/fuel cells) and biofuels as main options, synthetic fuels (increasingly from renewable resources) as a bridging option, methane (natural gas and biomethane) as complementary fuel, and LPG as supplement.
Vice President Kallas convenes European airports to draw the lessons from air travel disruption due to snow
19/01/2011
Siim Kallas, European Commission Vice President in charge of transport, met today in Brussels with CEO's from major European airports to discuss how to prevent the problems that occurred at airports last month due to heavy snow fall. The adverse weather forced major EU airports to close or partially close which significantly disrupted air traffic across Europe. Several thousand passengers had to spend the night at airports and 35,000 flights were cancelled. This is more than the cancellations for the whole of 2009. The Commission will bring forward specific measures to address some of the key issues in the Airports Package which will be published later this year.
Meeting with Janet Napolitano
05/01/2011
Vice-President Kallas met today with Janet Napolitano, United States Secretary of Homeland Security. Discussing air cargo security, they agreed to work together, bilaterally and through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), for a common and co-ordinated approach. They also discussed the US civil aviation security measures ("emergency amendments") and in particular their implications for EU–US mail shipments.
Both sides agreed that air passenger security remains a serious challenge and the exchange of experience regarding the use of security scanners in US and EU airports is needed. VP Kallas confirmed the EU's intention to replace the restrictions on carry-on liquids with an obligation to screen liquids, by the end of April 2011 as provided by the relevant EU legislation.
