Transport in the EU

News and information about the European Union's transport policies.

Air passenger rights - legislation in force since 2005 — 15 April 2010, 22:31 CET

The single market for air transport in the Community has greatly benefited passengers: they now enjoy lower fares and a wider choice of carriers and services than in the past. Liberalisation, however, is not enough. Other measures are needed to protect passengers' interests and ensure that they fully profit from the single market.

EU support for European tourism — 15 April 2010, 12:43 CET

Commission website on EU support for the tourism sector.Tourism is a key sector of the European economy. The EU tourism industry generates more than 5% of the EU GDP, with about 1,8 million enterprises employing around 5,2% of the total labour force (approximately 9,7 million jobs). When related sectors are taken into account, the estimated contribution of tourism to GDP creation is much higher: tourism indirectly generates more than 10% of the European Union's GDP and provides about 12% of the labour force.

MEPs to vote on a proposal on transport of dangerous goods — 08 April 2010, 00:11 CET

MEPs are set to vote on 19 April on a draft report amending the Directive on the transportation of dangerous goods, or transportable pressure equipment.

The EU Visa Code will apply from 5 April 2010 — 05 April 2010, 23:09 CET

As from 5 April, the EU Visa Code will become applicable. The Visa Code gathers into a single document all legal provisions governing decisions on visas. It increases the transparency, develops legal security and ensures equal treatment of applicants while harmonising rules and practices for the Schengen States (22 Member States and 3 associated states) applying the common visa policy.

New EU visa code from 5 April — 31 March 2010, 12:44 CET

A new visa code will become applicable in the European Union from 5 April. The EU Visa Code gathers into a single document all legal provisions governing decisions on visas.

EU ends antitrust investigation into Baltic shipping pact — 29 March 2010, 17:40 CET

The European Commission has closed an investigation into a potential breach of EU competition rules in the planned "Baltic Max Feeder" scheme for "feeder" vessel owners since the scheme was abandoned.

Second stage EU-US "Open Skies" agreement and existing first stage air services agreement - briefing — 25 March 2010, 20:15 CET

On 25 March, after eight rounds of negotiations, negotiators reached preliminary agreement on a 'second stage' air services accord. The agreement builds on the 2007 EU-US Open Skies Agreement, increasing regulatory co-operation, and removing barriers to market access that have been holding back the development of the world’s most important aviation markets.

Use of mobile phones on ships in European waters - briefing — 19 March 2010, 23:20 CET

The European Commission has adopted new rules to make it easier for passengers and crew on ships in the EU's territorial waters to make mobile phone calls or send and receive text messages when they are out of range of land-based mobile phone networks. The new rules harmonise the technical and legal conditions for on-board communication services and pave the way for innovative applications, such as remote monitoring of containers stored on-board. This brings new legal certainty and economic opportunities, for service providers who want to offer seamless maritime mobile connectivity across borders.

EC facilitates use of mobile phones on ships — 20 March 2010, 00:37 CET

The European Commission has adopted new rules to make it easier for passengers and crews on ships to use their mobile phones whilst in European waters.

The attitudes of Europeans towards tourism 2010 - Eurobarometer survey — 11 March 2010, 12:07 CET

Some 80% of Europeans continue to travel for their holidays according to a new Eurobarometer survey on 'The attitudes of Europeans towards tourism 2010'. Only 20% of over 30,000 randomly selected citizens were almost certain that they will not travel in 2010, which is significantly below the proportion of non-travellers in 2009 (33%). EU citizens increasingly prefer to spend their holidays in traditional tourist destinations (57%), while 28% would rather go "off the beaten track" to emerging destinations. Tourism is one of Europe's most important service industries, accounting for 5% of Europe's GDP and 6% of employment.

External Borders Fund (2007-2013) — 03 February 2010, 17:54 CET

As part of the general programme “Solidarity and management of migration flows”, Decision No 574/2007/EC establishes the External Borders Fund (EBF) for the period 2007-13 with resources totalling €1820 million.

Free movement of people within the EU — 21 January 2010, 13:45 CET

Free movement of people is a basic component of the single area which the EU has been building since its inception. It is acknowledged as a fundamental right for EU citizens. Although the principle of free movement was enshrined in the founding treaties, in the first place it did not extend to lifting physical borders but was mainly targeted at the working population until the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999, when the Schengen Convention of 1990 was integrated into the EU legal and institutional framework.

Trade and Imports of Animal Products - personal consignments — 21 January 2010, 13:46 CET

Personal consignments containing meat, milk or their products and brought into the EU continue to present a real threat to animal health throughout the EU. Hence pathogens could be introduced into the EU if personal consignments containing meat, milk or their products are sent by post or carried in the baggage of travellers arriving from countries outside the EU, where such pathogens may be circulating.

Major contracts awarded to make Galileo operational early 2014 - briefing — 07 January 2010, 16:09 CET

The European Commission has announced the award of three of the six contracts for the procurement of Galileo’s initial operational capability. The contract for the system support services is awarded to ThalesAleniaSpace of Italy , that for a first order of 14 satellites to OHB System AG of Germany and that for the launch services to Arianespace of France. This will allow the initial deployment and service provision of Europe’s satellite navigation system as of early 2014.

Tyre labelling: achieving sustainable mobility — 07 January 2010, 17:01 CET

In order to achieve the goals fixed by the EU for sustainable mobility, the European Commission has prepared a Proposal for a Directive to introduce tyre labelling. This aims to provide end-users of vehicles with clear and relevant information about the quality of the tyre, and to guide them towards choosing a product which is more fuel efficient, has better wet braking and is less noisy.

Quality of petrol and diesel fuels: sulphur and lead — 07 January 2010, 17:01 CET

To reduce pollution from car emissions, the EU has introduced new environmental specifications applicable to fuels: a ban on the marketing of leaded petrol and the obligation to make sulphur-free fuels available within the Union.

Goods and passengers: admission to the occupation of road transport operator and mutual recognition of diplomas — 25 December 2009, 23:43 CET

This EU Directive harmonises admission to the occupation of road transport operator in national and international transport and to facilitate the effective exercise of the right of establishment of those operators.

Second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) - 1st pillar regulation — 21 December 2009, 20:17 CET

The SIS II Regulation lays down the technical aspects and the operation of the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II), the conditions for issuing alerts on refusal of entry or stay for non-EU nationals, the processing of data relating to the alerts, and conditions of data access and protection. It constitutes the legislative basis for governing SIS II with respect to matters falling under Title IV of the EC Treaty (first pillar).

Schengen: legal instruments governing migration from SIS1+ to SIS II — 21 December 2009, 20:17 CET

The legal instruments governing migration from SIS 1+ to SIS II lay down the tasks and responsibilities of the European Commission and the Member States for preparing this migration, including further development and testing of SIS II.

Access of vehicle registration services to SIS II — 21 December 2009, 20:15 CET

The second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) will be a large-scale information system containing alerts on persons and objects in the EU.

EU Recommendations for Passengers — 17 December 2009, 11:40 CET

The EU Top 12 Recommendations for Passengers

EU Strategy for biofuels — 16 December 2009, 18:14 CET

The EU sets out seven strategic policy areas for the development of the production and use of biofuels by the Member States and developing countries.

Common EU Regulations in the field of civil aviation security — 08 December 2009, 01:02 CET

This Regulation sets common rules in the field of civil aviation security and mechanisms for monitoring compliance, with the aim of guaranteeing security in air transport and protecting persons and goods within the European Union.

Common EU Regulations in the field of civil aviation security — 04 December 2009, 15:17 CET

This Regulation sets common rules in the field of civil aviation security and mechanisms for monitoring compliance, with the aim of guaranteeing security in air transport and protecting persons and goods within the European Union.

Overhauling EU rules on package travel - briefing — 26 November 2009, 14:09 CET

Millions of travellers who book holiday ‘packages’ with combinations of flights, hotels, car rentals etc on the internet or in the high-street look set to receive tougher financial protection if things go wrong, under plans put out for consultation by the European Commission today. The Commission is consulting on extending the basic cover provided by EU’s 1990 Package Travel Directive – on information, liability for sub-standard services and protection for insolvency - to the next generation of ‘dynamic packages’ where consumers make up their own packages, often online, through one website or different partner websites. 23% of EU consumers, and over 40% in countries like Ireland, Sweden are now booking "dynamic packages", many of which currently fall outside EU protection rules (67% mistakenly think they are protected). Following the recent spate of airlines going bust, the paper also considers extending basic insolvency protection for consumers beyond package and dynamic packages across the board, including for stand alone airline tickets.