Press releases
Transport: Vice President Kallas in talks with IMO Secretary General – focus on ship safety and reducing emissions
07/05/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 7 May 2013 EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas and the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization Mr. Koji Sekimizu met today in Brussels and reaffirmed their common goal to work together towards safer and more environmentally friendly shipping.
European Road Safety Day, dedicated to reducing pedestrian fatalities in urban areas
06/05/2013
Commission Press release Brussels, 6 May 2013 European The European Road Safety Day – May 6 – is the Commission's contribution to the United Nations Global Road Safety Week, whose theme this year is "pedestrian road safety".
Single European Sky: Commission paves the way for more ambitious performance targets
03/05/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 3 May 2013 The European Commission adopted today revised implementing Regulations on performance and charging, setting the framework for the upcoming negotiations on targets for the second reference period (2015 to 2019) of the SES Performance Scheme.
Air Traffic Management: Commission launches the deployment of SESAR
03/05/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 3 May 2013 The Commission has adopted today a new Regulation establishing governance and incentive mechanisms to facilitate the effective and timely deployment of SESAR, the Union's flagship project that aims at modernising the Air Traffic Management (ATM) system and enhancing its performance.
April infringements package: main decisions
25/04/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 25 April 2013 April April CLIMATE ACTION DIGITAL AGENDA EMPLOYMENT ENERGY ENVIRONMENT JUSTICE TRANSPORT HEALTH & CONSUMER POLICY TAXATION & CUSTOMS UNION BE 1 CY 1 1 DE 1 1 DK 1 EE 1 EL 1 1 ES 1 1 1 HU 1 IE 1 IT...
Commission welcomes today's vote of the European Parliament on groundhandling services
16/04/2013
European MEMO Brussels, 16 April 2013 Commission The European Commission welcomes today's vote of the European Parliament on groundhandling services at EU airports updating Directive 96/67/EC. With this vote, the Parliament is paving the way for negotiations with the Council and the Commission to overhaul the existing legislation dating from...
Frequently asked questions: New EU rules for safer and greener lorries
15/04/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 15 April 2013 The current situation There are currently 6.5 million heavy goods vehicles (HGV; with a maximum weight above 3.5 tonnes) in circulation in the EU. EU truck manufacturers are among the world leaders in smart and innovative vehicle design.
March infringements package: main decisions
21/03/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 21 March 2013 March March EMPLOYMENT ENERGY ENVIRONMENT INTERNAL MARKET & SERVICES TRANSPORT BE X X BG X CY X IT X MT X PL X PT X X RO X SI X In its monthly package of infringement decisions, the European Commission is pursuing legal...
Land transport of dangerous goods: Commission refers Belgium to Court for failing to update national legislation
21/03/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 21 March 2013 The European Commission has decided today to take Belgium to the Court of Justice of the European Union over the failure to adopt national legislation on the inland transport of dangerous goods.
Air transport: Commission refers Portugal to the Court of Justice over groundhandling services at Lisbon, Porto and Faro airports
21/03/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 21 March 2013 The European Commission has decided today to refer Portugal to the Court of Justice of the European Union for incorrect application of the rules on airport groundhandling.
Road safety: EU reports lowest ever number of road deaths and takes first step towards an injuries strategy
19/03/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 19 March 2013 Road fatalities across the EU have decreased by 9% in 2012. According to new figures published by the European Commission today, 2012 saw the lowest number of people killed in road traffic in EU countries since the first data were collected.
Towards a Strategy on Serious Road Traffic Injuries – Frequently asked questions
19/03/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 19 March 2013 Road safety work in the EU has to date been highly successful. During the last strategy period, 2001-2010, the number of fatalities on EU roads was reduced by a total of 43%, coming close to but not completely achieving the strategic objective of...
Vice-President Siim Kallas press statement on passenger rights revision
13/03/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 13 March 2013 Good morning everyone. I hate being stranded at the airport. And I am sure most, if not all of you, hate it too. It's bad enough if you are travelling on business. But if it’s the holiday time and you've got a young...
Commission proposes new measures to strengthen air passenger rights
13/03/2013
European Press release Brussels, 13 March 2013 Commission The European Commission today announced a package of measures to ensure that air passengers have new and better rights to information, care and re-routing when they are stranded at the airport.
Air Passenger Rights Revision - Frequently Asked Questions Air passenger rights – summary
13/03/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 13 March 2013 What is the current situation? Europe's success in securing and upholding passenger rights is one of the resounding achievements of EU transport policy. The EU's Air Passenger Rights Regulation 261/20041 came into force in February 2005 establishing minimum levels of assistance and compensation...
Rail transport: Commission seeks to improve access to rail travel for persons with disabilities and passengers with reduced mobility
11/03/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 11 March 2013 The European Commission is making accessibility an essential requirement for rail infrastructure when newly built, upgraded or renewed. Accessibility can be achieved by preventing or removing barriers and through other measures such as provision of assistance. The rules apply to infrastructure (e.g.
Transport Council – 11 March 2013
08/03/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 8 March 2013 The EU's Council of transport ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday 11 March under the Irish Presidency. From the European Commission, Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for transport and mobility, will present agenda items on rail interoperability, occurrence reporting in civil aviation and...
Transport and Environment: Aberdeen and Zagreb win EU sustainable mobility awards
06/03/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 7 March 2013 The European Commission has announced the winners of the 2012 European Mobility Week Award and of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans Award. The cities were presented with their awards by European Commissioners Siim Kallas and Janez Potočnik at a joint award ceremony...
Passenger rights: better protection for bus and coach travellers in the EU
01/03/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 1 March 2013 Today, Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 on bus and coach passenger rights becomes applicable, providing bus and coach travellers throughout the EU with new rights. The regulation lays down travellers' basic rights, and imposes a number of obligations on bus and coach companies...
Rail – statement by Vice President Kallas following today's ECJ rulings (Spain, Hungary,Germany, Austria)
28/02/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 28 February 2013 Today the ECJ has ruled in four infringement cases brought by the Commission concerning the extent of independence from other rail operators required of an infrastructure manager under the 1st railway package.
[78 KB] February infringements package: main decisions
21/02/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 21 February 2013 February February DIGITAL AGENDA EMPLOYMENT ENERGY INDUSTRY & ENTREPRENEURSHIP ENVIRONMENT JUSTICE TRANSPORT HEALTH & CONSUMER POLICY TAXATION & CUSTOMS UNION AT 1 BE 1 1 3 CY 1 1 DE 1 DK 1 EL 1 1 ES 1 1 FI 1 FR 1...
Road transport: Commission refers Austria, Finland and Poland to the European Court of Justice for failing to apply EU working time rules to self-employed drivers
21/02/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 21 February 2013 The European Commission has decided today to take Austria, Finland and Poland to the European Court of Justice for failing to apply EU working time rules to self-employed drivers (Directive 2002/15/EC).
Interoperability of European railways: Commission refers Slovenia to the Court of Justice
21/02/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 21 February 2013 The European Commission has decided today to refer Slovenia to the European Court of Justice for failure to notify national measures transposing a directive on railway interoperability. The deadline for implementation was 31 December 2011.
4th Railway Package – Statement Vice-President Siim Kallas
30/01/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 30 January 2013 Europe's railways are approaching a very important junction. We face two choices. We have the opportunity to create a truly European railway network of tracks and routes which actually works.
European Railways at a junction: the Commission adopts proposals for a Fourth Railway Package
30/01/2013
Commission Press release Brussels, 30 January 2013 European The European Commission today announced a comprehensive package of measures to deliver better quality and more choice in railway services in Europe. Rail is a vital part of EU transport, with a key role in addressing rising traffic demand, congestion, fuel security...
European Rail: Challenges Ahead
30/01/2013
Commission MEMO Brussels, 30 January 2013 European Rail: Challenges Ahead The Fourth Rail Package The European Commission has today adopted the 4th Railway Package made up of six legislative proposals focusing on four key areas (see IP/13/65).
January infringements package: main decisions
24/01/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 24 January 2013 January January COMPETITION DIGITAL AGENDA EMPLOYMENT ENERGY INDUSTRY & ENTREPRENEURSHIP ENVIRONMENT JUSTICE INTERNAL MARKET & SERVICES TRANSPORT HEALTH & CONSUMER POLICY TAXATION & CUSTOMS UNION AT 1 2 BG 1 2 ...
Clean power for transport – Frequently asked questions
24/01/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 24 January 2013 Alternative fuels: challenges and key figures Challenges European transport is 94% dependent on oil, of which 84.3% is imported1, and faces increasing fuel supply insecurity as oil comes from increasingly unstable regions of the world, and a high and rising oil import bill...
Road Transport: New European Driving Licence
18/01/2013
European Commission Press release Brussels, 18 January 2013 From January 19th 2013, all new driving licences issued across the EU will be in the form of a plastic "credit card," with a standard European format and tougher security protection.
New European driving licence for more security, safety and free movement
18/01/2013
European Commission MEMO Brussels, 18 January 2013 19 January 2013 will see the introduction of a European driving licence as part of the entry into force of the third EU Driving Licence Directive. The new rules will guarantee a true freedom of movement to EU drivers, reinforce safety on European...
