Trilogue Process Begins on Fit for 55 Files
The Czechia Presidency tweeted the update
#TRILOGUE | First trilogue on the ReFuelEU Aviation proposal has just begun. It is the last meeting with the @Europarl_EN this week. We will be back with new episodes of our trilogue series next week from Strasbourg!
#FitFor55 #EU2022CZ
Trilogues are informal tripartite meetings on legislative proposals between representatives of the Parliament, the Council and the Commission. Their purpose is to reach a provisional agreement on a text acceptable to both the Council and the Parliament.
In most cases the parties reach agreement on a final text which can then be put to the Parliament and the Council for adoption. Over the coming months all eyes will be on the negotiations to see what the final shape of the Fit for 55 Files for transport will be.
Business Aviation Under Pressure
Business Aviation has received some particularly bad press of late as tracking of celebrities planes has shown some very short trips leading to criticism being levied regarding the sustainability of such practices. In August this led to French transport minister Clément Beaune voicing a desire to curtail private jet usage in France, noting the ‘unconscionable climate cost’.
The topic is expected to be raised at an informal meeting of European Transport Ministers in October.
The case can readily be made that the carbon footprint of celebrities and others using private planes may far exceed that of other people, however whether that warrants a complete ban warrants consideration. The sector may well be headed for special consideration under other mechanisms, such as the EU Emissions Trading System, as a compromise.
State of the Union — September 14, 2022
Ahead of the State of the Union debate (#SOTEU) on September 14, the European Commission have published a special webpage dedicated to the debate including a document detailing their achievements and providing a very interesting timeline of the work conducted over the past 12 months.
The achievements section is broken into four distinct areas:
Europeans stand with Ukraine, for democracy and peace
Overcoming the pandemic with solidarity and science
Leading the green, digital and fair transitions
The pillars of European democracy
It’s welcoming to see that Transport is identified as an investment priority to support all modes of green, smart and safe transport.
state-of-the-union.ec.europa.eu
You can follow the State of the Union debate online as it will be streamed live on the European Parliament website on Wednesday 14 September from 9.00 CET. Interpretation will be available in all of the EU’s 24 official languages — simply select the language of your choice.
UK Government Launches Review of the Civil Aviation Authority
The UK Government has launched an independent review of the Civil Aviation Authority to ‘ensure the provision of world-leading regulation and public services for decades to come’. The areas of focus will include the organisations effectiveness, efficiency, accountability and governance, the CAA’s relationships with the Department of Transport and how the two organisations work together, and how it’s priorities matchup to the UK Government’s wider objectives.
The review is part of a wider UK Government programme looking at the effectiveness and efficiency of public bodies.
The UK CAA has a broad remit covering aviation safety and security, through to the efficient use of airspace, space operations and protecting consumer rights.
It is fair to say that the UK CAA is held in very high regard by the aviation industry due to their professionalism and expertise.
Jeremy Newman, an independent panel member at the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, will lead the review, which will run until spring 2023.
For more information on these developments or other topics, don’t hesitate to contact me below or follow me on twitter to receive The Transport Policy Outlook as soon as it’s released.