Committee on Transport and Tourism Ordinary meeting
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TRAN European Parliament
Follow its sittingsSeán Canney
In aviation, we understand that the Commission is working towards a new EU aviation and aeronautics strategy later this year. Given the importance of aviation to the European economy and connectivity, this is expected to focus on the sector's competitiveness and ensuring a sustainable air transport sector. If timing allows, we will be ready to facilitate an initial examination and support a useful political discussion at Council. We also note the Commission's ongoing work on the revision of the Air Services Regulation, the key framework governing access to and operation within the EU single aviation market for EU air operators. We will begin examining the proposals as soon as it is adopted by the European Commission.
Taken together, these files underline a simple point: competitiveness in transport is not only about infrastructure and connectivity, but also ensuring that Europe's industrial base can adapt and thrive through transition. The wider economic impact is also seen in tourism, particularly for the island and peripheral regions where transport links support visitor access, local enterprise, and regional development. And Minister Burke, my colleague, will address the tourism dimension in greater detail. Secondly, decarbonization in transport remains central, but the discussion increasingly turns on how that transition is delivered in a way that is workable for our citizens and businesses, that supports climate ambition and industrial capacity in Europe, and delivers emission reductions in practice. It is appropriate in that context to reference the revisions of the Weight and Dimensions Directive, where we aim to reach an agreement with the Parliament in the autumn.
The automotive package is also relevant here, including the CO2 standard for cars and vans, which is proceeding through the Environment Council, Environmental Council, and the Clean Corporate Vehicles proposals. These files sit at the intersection of climate policy, industrial competitiveness, and consumer affordability, and bring together a wide range of Member States' perspectives, reflecting different economic structures and transition pathways. From a Presidency point of view, our goal will be to ensure structured, disciplined Council handling, creating space for consideration of linked issues to ensure a holistic approach. During the Presidency, the ETS for aviation and maritime will be an important part of the overall review of the ETS system, alongside with the IMO net-zero framework. This is important in the context of international alignment and with continued ambition for decarbonization while preserving a level playing field.
Thirdly, on delivering for citizens, the passenger rights and digitalization agenda is where transport policy is most directly experienced by the public. Ireland sees real scope to add value in progressing the wider passenger rights agenda, in particular multimodal passenger rights and the related rail passenger right elements of the passenger package. These files go to the heart of how citizens experience the European transport system, and we will work with both institutions to build convergence where possible. More broadly, we will seek to advance the new passenger package as far as possible while preserving coherence across the package. Overall, our focus will be on supporting practical progress, progress that will improve the end-user experience while remaining workable for national authorities and operators.
Finally, on safety, security and resilience, the transport agenda increasingly reflects the geopolitical context in which the Union is operating, alongside the more traditional focus on safety outcomes. From that perspective, military mobility is an important file for the European Union as a whole. It speaks directly to the preparedness and resilience and to the need for an effective and reliable transport system in support of wider security objectives. We recognize the importance of this agenda across the Union and are committed to continuing the priority being demonstrated under the Cyprus presidency, working towards the conclusion of inter-institutional negotiations during our presidency. Alongside this, the more conventional safety files remain very much part of the picture.
The roadworthiness package is a good example, technically detailed but with clear implications for road safety, enforcement and regulatory clarity. We were glad to make a positive start to negotiations with the Parliament already and we remain committed to working towards a final agreement before the end of the year. We will also introduce the proposed revisions to the European Union Agency for Railways regulation and seek to progress them. We see growing relevance in issues such as connected and autonomous vehicles, where safety, innovation and liability considerations intersect, and in the broader maritime safety architecture, including the European Maritime Safety Agency's role in supporting member states with maritime domain awareness, resilience and operational capability. Taken together, these strands underline how transport policy now sits at the intersection of safety, resilience and strategic preparedness, a theme that will continue into the future.
Across all the four themes that I have set out, competitiveness, decarbonization, delivering for citizens and safety, security and resilience, the Irish presidency will be guided by Ireland's overarching presidency pillars of competitiveness, values and security. Our objective is to use these six months to support practical progress, maintain continuity across the trio and work constructively with the Parliament and member states. We know that progress on many of these files will depend on close and constructive engagement with members of this committee and Ireland is committed to that engagement throughout our presidency. I look forward to hearing your views and to a constructive engagement with you all today and thank you all very much.
Thank you very much, Mr. Kenny. And now Mr. Burke, the floor is yours, Mr. Minister, for the priorities in tourism matters. Thank you.
Peter Burke
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh, tá an-áthas orm a bheith anseo inniu le mo chara, an tAire Ó Seáin. Chair, honorable members of the European Parliament, it is an honor to appear before you today to address the Committee on Transport and Tourism on a topic of which is of great importance and value to Europe: the future competitiveness, resilience and sustainability of our tourism and hospitality sector. As mentioned by my colleague Minister Kenny, Ireland has assumed the presidency under the motto Ní neart go cur le chéile, strength with unity. And as we progress through our term, Ireland understands that working closely with the European Commission, this Parliament and fellow member states is vital to support the tourism and hospitality sector to achieve our shared goals. Tourism continues to be a strategic pillar of the European economy and is one of Europe's great success stories.
It is a sector that contains roughly 4.6 million businesses which support approximately 13.4 million jobs, strengthening regional economies, sustaining local communities and showcasing the rich and cultural natural heritage of our member states. Importantly, tourism is built on a sector of small businesses across Europe, SMEs and micro-enterprises form the backbone of the industry.
Their success is essential not only for economic growth, but also for social cohesion and balanced regional development. Moreover, these businesses are at the heart of a broader tourism ecosystem, supporting local suppliers, hospitality providers, transport services, cultural and heritage attractions, and community organisations that together create vibrant and sustainable destinations. The past six years have highlighted both the vulnerability and the resilience of the tourism sector. While the industry has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to adapt, significant challenges remain, particularly against a backdrop of ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. Businesses continue to navigate changing consumer expectations, digital transformation, sustainability requirements, labour shortages, and increasing global competition.
During the Irish Presidency, we will take a practical and forward-looking approach to strengthening the competitiveness of Europe's tourism and hospitality sector. We are committed to supporting businesses and workers as they adapt to these structural changes, while ensuring that Europe remains high-quality, innovative, and globally competitive destination for visitors from right around the world. As a key part of this effort, we will be facilitating engagement on how to improve the operating environment for SMEs. Simpler access to EU supports, improved financing opportunities, and the reduction of unnecessary administrative burdens can help businesses invest, innovate, and grow. Accelerating digital adoption and creating conditions that encourage entrepreneurship will be vital to the sector's long-term success.
The Irish Presidency looks forward to the adoption and publication of the first EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy and remains ready to engage with Member States on this important document through the Tourism Working Party. We strongly support the vision outlined by our Commissioner to develop a more resilient, sustainable, and future-proofed tourism model. We particularly welcome the balanced approach that recognises the need to combine economic growth with environmental protection, community well-being, and continued global competitiveness. We support measures that strengthen resilience, help businesses respond to market developments and technological change, and improve access to opportunities available through EU programmes and initiatives. At the same time, sustainability must remain at the heart of our approach.
The Presidency welcomes the focus on a more balanced tourism development through better management of visitor flows, the promotion of year-round travel, and greater support for regional destinations. The implementation of the EU Short-Term Rental Regulation will provide policymakers with access to more timely and harmonised data, supporting informed decision-making and helping to spread the benefits of tourism more evenly across destinations. The Irish Presidency will work to support the ongoing implementation of the Short-Term Rental Regulation while fostering policy cohesion with new initiatives under the EU Affordable Housing Plan. It is our view that tourism should create benefits that are shared widely across communities, including those in rural, peripheral, and island regions. The recently announced EU Strategy, Island Strategy and Coastal Strategy represent an important recognition that islands and peripheral coastal regions face unique challenges that required tailored policy responses.
These are the first EU-wide frameworks specifically focused on islands and coastal communities. For islands and peripheral regions, connectivity remains fundamental. Reliable and affordable air and maritime links are not a luxury, they are an essential for economic development, tourism, access to services, and social cohesion. The new strategies acknowledge the importance of improving connectivity and reducing the disadvantages associated with geographic remoteness. Minister Kenny has set out the intended approach to the transport files, and Irish officials remain ready to engage with member states in the tourism working party and provide assistance and input from tourism perspective on these items.
Another challenge that requires attention is the issue of skills and labor shortages. The availability of a skilled workforce and the attractiveness of careers in tourism and hospitality remain critical concerns across Europe. The Irish presidency will work with a coordinated European approach to strengthening the tourism skills agenda. Skill systems must be responsive to labor market needs and supported by strong collaboration between governments, industry, and education providers. We must support the tourism workforce by improving access to training and upskilling opportunities, creating clearer career progression pathways, fostering positive working environments, and helping SMEs attract, develop, and retain talent.
Progress on skills recognition, including the greater use of EU frameworks and digital credentials, can help facilitate labor mobility and improve the matching of skills with employment opportunities across the Union. Looking ahead, a more data-informed approach to workforce planning, combined with targeted investment in upskilling and lifelong learning, will be necessary to address the emerging needs. Success will depend on sustained cooperation between education providers, industry stakeholders, and public authorities. Through structured engagement and joint initiatives, we can better anticipate future skill requirements and create more effective pathways into employment, particularly in regions and sectors experiencing acute shortages. Finally, I believe there is significant value in strengthening coordination at EU level.
Continued cooperation between member states, EU institutions, and industry stakeholders will help us address shared challenges, exchange best practices, and scale successful solutions. Enhanced coordination can improve coherence across the many policies that affect tourism and ensure our collective efforts deliver tangible results. Chair, members, Europe remains the world's leading tourism destination. However, maintaining that position cannot be taken for granted. It requires coordinated action to strengthen competitiveness, invest in people, support innovation, promote sustainability, and build resilience.
We look forward to working closely with the European Commission, this Parliament, and our fellow member states to advance a practical agenda that supports businesses, creates quality employment, and delivers long-term benefits for communities across Europe. Together, we can help build a tourism sector that is stronger, greener, more resilient, and better prepared for opportunities and challenges of the future. I look forward to hearing your views and engaging with you in the questions that you may have this afternoon. Go raibh maith agat. Thank you.
Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi
Thank you very much, Mr. Burke.
Now colleagues we will open our debate. We will do it in two rounds. First of all I'll give the floor for two up to three minutes for each coordinator to have the floor and then our ministers will answer. And then the second round to the other members, other colleagues. I have to please ask you to keep the time because we have a lot of speakers.
So we start with Mr. Gieseke. Thank you.
Jens Gieseke
Yes, thank you Chair and Minister Kenny, Minister Burke. Welcome to the TRAN Committee. Your motto is strength with unity. I think it's a very good motto. Good luck for your presidency.
And I was really happy to hear that in your presidency competitiveness is key. We are ready to work constructively with you. And now I switch to German because you have to see we have 23 languages. You have to use your headphone now. Minister Burke, Minister Kenny, Sie nehmen die Verantwortung in der irischen Ratspräsidentschaft zu einem entscheidenden Moment.
Für Europa ist es schwierig, die geopolitische Lage, darüber müssen wir nicht reden. Ich möchte drei Punkte kurz ansprechen, die wichtig sein werden in Ihrer Ratspräsidentschaft. Das haben Sie auch angesprochen, Minister Kenny, in Ihrer Rede, die Frage des Transportbudgets und des mehrjährigen Finanzrahmens. Es ist ganz offensichtlich, dass wir eine gute und leistungsfähige Infrastruktur brauchen. Und auch in Ihrem Vortrag haben Sie deutlich gemacht, dass es eher darum geht, mehr Geld auszugeben ins transeuropäische Netz, Connecting Europe Facility haben Sie angesprochen.
Und es ist eher so, dass Aufgaben dazu kommen, Stichwort militärische Mobilität. Das heißt, wenn wir da kürzen, bekommen wir große Probleme. Das ist eine gemeinsame Priorität. Und ich möchte nur sagen, das Europäische Parlament ist an Ihrer Seite, um für ein gutes Budget zu kämpfen. Wir sind bereit.
Zweitens, und Sie haben das auch angesprochen, Minister Kenny, in Ihrer Ansprache, ich möchte mal auf die low-hanging fruits oder relatively low-hanging fruits Bezug nehmen. Das Roadworthiness Package, hier sind wir auf dem guten Weg. Der erste Trilog hat stattgefunden. Wir wollen das so unbürokratisch wie möglich erledigen. Wir wollen Straßenverkehrssicherheit.
Wir wollen keine zusätzlichen Belastungen. Und ich glaube, das ist wirklich ein Thema, was man innerhalb von sechs Monaten lösen kann. Sie haben andere Themen in Ihrer Agenda, Stichwort Automotive Package. Das ist auch hier im Parlament sehr umstritten, ob wir das unter Ihrer Ratspräsidentschaft hinbekommen, ist fraglich. Aber da würde ich mir wünschen, dass wir die Fortschritte machen, soweit es möglich ist, sowohl was CO2-PKW angeht, als auch was die Fleets angeht.
Insofern kämpfen wir da gemeinsam. Da meine Zeit heute stark begrenzt ist und wir kurz vor der Sommerpause sind, nur ein letzter Punkt, aber das ist mir ein Herzensanliegen. Ich komme aus Niedersachsen, aus dem schönen Emsland, und da ist die Teststrecke für den Transrapid. Die Magnettechnik funktioniert, aber nicht in Europa. Hier haben wir technologisch innovativ versagt.
Wir haben etwas hinbekommen in Europa und der sozusagen die Umsetzung findet woanders statt, in China. Das soll nicht wieder passieren. Wir sind noch führend im Bereich der Hyperloop-Technologie und die Kommission schafft es irgendwie nicht, einen Vorschlag hervorzubringen. Wenn wir gemeinsam Druck machen als Parlament und Ratspräsidentschaft, können wir auch hier Fortschritte erzielen. Insofern dieses letzte Thema Hyperloop würde ich Ihnen gerne mit auf den Weg geben, dass Sie zusammen mit uns dem Parlament Druck ausüben auf die Kommission, dass wir hier den nächsten Fortschritt machen und die Kommission einen Vorschlag macht.
Vielen Dank.
Johan Danielsson
Thank you Chair and welcome to the committee to the ministers. Happy to see that the presidency has put forward I think a broad transport agenda including many of the Parliament's priorities on clean and safe transport, decarbonisation, TEN-T, CEF, which you heard already you have broad support from the Parliament. The key question is of course then how do you translate these into concrete progress on files that within the Council but also in negotiation with the Parliament.
So I mean first of all a low hanging fruit hopefully but also being the other rapporteur on the roadworthiness package specifically on the proposal concerning vehicle registration documents registration data I welcome very much the approach to find an agreement during your presidency. It is a technical file perhaps less political controversial than the other but I think we should not underestimate its practical importance for citizens. Our position in the parliament is clear we need easier cross-border registration we also need better measurements against fraud. So I hope with quite close starting points that we will be able to find an agreement more quickly. On the air service regulation I happy to say to hear that you are ready to start work on it.
Perhaps also you could help us to get the commission to finally present a proposal so we get something to work on we have tried for some years. Politically for our group it is important with the competitiveness of the sectors of course for connectivity in Europe but it's also important that a competitive and resilient European aviation sector also must be socially responsible environmentally sustainable and fair to passenger and workers. We could read in a recent report from ELA that a majority of national authorities consider aviation to be a high risk sector regarding compliance with posting rules social security coordination and fair contractual arrangements. And this is of course due to the growing abuse misuse of subcontracting complex company structures and wet leasing arrangements. And this is something we therefore need to look to carefully I think in connection with the air service regulation.
So my question would be in this first talks that you will have how will the presidency ensure that the revision addresses unfair competition not only from third country companies which is of course important but also between airlines operating within the European Union. Specifically how does the presidency view the role of wet leasing in the EU aviation market because of course I mean Ireland and Sweden are two countries that are good example of the need of connectivity but this also need to be connectivity based on fair competition. Also you will have more detailed question I'm sure from colleagues on the automotive package but of course one of the important files that could accelerate the move to zero emission vehicles having decarbonization as one of your priorities in the presidency is the corporate fleets proposal so if you could perhaps also develop a little bit from the presidency perspective how you view this file as an accelerator of decarbonization. Thank you.
Roman Haider
Danke Frau Vorsitzende Minister Kenny Minister Burke vielen Dank für die Vorstellung Ihres Programms. Ich möchte vor allem auf zwei Punkte näher eingehen die für uns als Patriots von besonderer Bedeutung sind das ist das Verbrennerverbot und das Konzept der Clean Corporate Vehicles. Sie betonen ja in Ihrem Programm für die irische Ratspräsidentschaft und jetzt auch hier vor uns im Raum dass der Erhalt unseres Wohlstands durch die Stärkung der europäischen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit ein wichtiger Baustein für Ihre Ratspräsidentschaft sein wird. Jetzt stellt sich die entscheidende Frage werden Ihren Worten auch Taten folgen denn schön reden allein wird zu wenig sein. Die von der Kommission eingeschlagene Richtung drängt Europa ja sehenden Auges in die totale Abhängigkeit von China und ohne europäische Regulierungen ohne die beinahe schon mittelalterlich religiöse Anbetung von Klimamodellen hätten wir all diese Probleme nicht die jetzt auf dem Tisch liegen.
Hunderttausende Familien alleine in Deutschland und meinem Heimatland Österreich erfahren aus erster Hand dass Green Jobs überall entstehen nur nicht in Europa.
Und mit viel Pathos und Feigheit regulieren wir unsere Schifffahrt, unsere Luftfahrt und unsere Automobilindustrie gegen die Wand. Wir machen uns abhängig von genau dem einen nachweislich europafeindlichen Lieferanten von China. Ihre Ratspräsidentschaft könnte die erste sein, die diesem Schrecken ein Ende bereitet. Daher sind meine zwei Fragen: Erstens, wird sich Irland dafür einsetzen, dass wir den historischen Irrtum des Verbrennerverbots hier und jetzt korrigieren? Und zweitens, wird sich Irland dafür einsetzen, dass diese radikal-ökosozialistische Idee der Zwangselektrifizierung der Firmenflotten dorthin kommt, wo sie hingehört, nämlich entsorgt im nächsten Müllkübel.
Jan-Christoph Oetjen
Thank you, Chair. Thank you, ministers, for being with us in the TRAN Committee. I want to say first, good luck to your presidency, to you, but first and foremost to the team, because it's people doing the job, right? And I am sure that you will have a lot to do, and I can assure you that you have people in the TRAN Committee that are willing to work with you on delivering tangible results for the people in our constituencies. I would like to follow up, Minister Kenny, on a topic that you have mentioned, which is weights and dimensions.
It's a file that is blocked since a long time, and this due to, how to put it, different views in big member states. So I would like to hear a little bit from your side if you could think that limiting cross-border to six-axle combinations could be a way forward in bridging the different positions of member states, because this would limit it to a smaller number of trucks and at the same time would not put the infrastructure so much into danger as this is feared by some. I would like to encourage you as well to look into topics, into files that are not in first place in charge of the transport minister, because there are a lot of files that have a lot of impact on transport, on our economy. And I think particularly on ETS, and I would like to hear from your side if you would agree that enlarging the scope of ETS in the aviation sector to outside of the European Union would endanger a good cooperation with third countries, because it's a question of level playing field, and we have heard very harsh reactions already in some partner third countries in view of this possible enlargement. And then maybe lastly on automotive, clean corporate vehicles has already been mentioned.
This might go as well to Minister Burke, because it has impact on rental of cars.
And we all know when we go somewhere we would like to have an easy use of a of a car that we rent. But if we put the fleets into into this all-electric way, this might be harmful for tourism on the one hand. But on the other hand, I think we should think twice if we want to put a regulation on a sector where until now we have had no regulation at all and we are discussing about cutting red tape and reducing bureaucracy, instead we are inventing new regulations.
Kai Tegethoff
Thank you, dear ministers, thanks for being with us here today. I was very pleased to see in the Irish presidency program that the also here today from you that the files of the passenger package are listed as one of your transport priorities. As Parliament's rapporteur on the rail ticketing regulation, I truly believe that this is a file where we can deliver something very concrete for citizens. For passengers, this is not an abstract market file, it's about making it easier to find, compare and to book rail journeys across borders. And it is about avoiding the situation where people need several apps, several tickets and still don't know what happens if they in the end miss a connection.
I think we can all agree that this package respond to something citizens have been expecting for years already, which is simpler booking, clearer information and stronger protection when they travel. Parliament will take this work very seriously and I also hope that Council will also move with the necessary ambition there. My first question is therefore on the timeline of this. How do you intend to organize work on the rail ticketing regulation and also in the wider context on the whole passenger package in Council? And does the presidency already have a position on the rail ticketing regulation or on the package as a whole?
And my second question is on the multimodal passenger rights. Does the presidency, now that after nine or ten months we already started the trilogue and just concluded the air passenger rights and the enforcement of passenger rights files, does the presidency now intend to resume the work on this file and or do you see, for example, in any way a connection to, for example, the passenger rights passenger package? Thank you.
Thank you very much. Now I will give the floor to our ministers for ten minutes, I think, each one. Okay, you have the floor. We start from Mr. Kenny. Thank you.
Seán Canney
First of all, I want to thank everybody for their contributions. And I suppose there's some commonality in some of the questions that were asked. But the first thing I want to say to Jens is in relation to the CEF funding. As I said in my presentation, we stand ready to take on the negotiation of CEF. And what I would be encouraging everybody to do is to get the MFF sorted as quickly as possible so that we can actually take what we need to do.
I had expected that we would be negotiating CEF right now at this stage. So I would encourage everybody to maybe agree the MFF as quickly as possible so that we can actually progress the CEF, which is of vital importance to us. That's the first thing I would say. So I think it's it's important that we need, you know, we talk about all the things we want to do, but we also need to know where the budget is coming from. It's very important.
In relation to Johan and others who mentioned the roadworthiness package, again, I think it's important to say it is a priority, the roadworthiness package is a priority for us.
The first trilogue was on the 2nd of July. It was a very positive engagement. Progress is being made. And it is our view that we will work to close out this and reach an agreement throughout our term. And we will not leave any stone unturned in actual to try and achieve that.
So we are determined to bring that one to conclusion. The next one, I think, was the in relation to the air services regulation. We do actually really agree and recognize the importance of maintaining a competitive, resilient, and well-connected aviation sector. And we look forward to examining this file during our presidency. And I understand that as soon as it is published, we will actually take it on board and do the study on it and engage with people on that.
I'm just going through my notes here to the clean corporate vehicles. Again, there's general support for the greening of corporate vehicles. The Council do not have a position yet on it. It's an important element in the wider automotive package. And I think this file is linked to other files and it's linked to other files progressing as well in the automotive package.
So again, we intend to pursue that with due diligence to make sure that we make as much progress as we can with that file. The CO2 standards for cars and vans, it was raised there again. Again, no consensus at Council yet. Two opposing, what I would call, views have emerged. It's a key element in the EU climate policy.
And it's important that we reach agreement in the interest of both the industry and consumers on this particular file. And we will continue to work to do that. And it's also, as was pointed out, it is important about as well to preserve the competitiveness of the automobile industry in Europe as well. And I listened to what you're saying there. So we will look forward to working with everybody to try and achieve a consensus on that throughout our presidency.
And we're aware of the difficulties that are there. Weights and dimensions, again, it's a long-running file dating back to 2023. It's important again for both decarbonization and also for road safety. So we also acknowledge that safety considerations must always come first. But we will continue the technical engagement in September with a view to identifying pathways to an agreement.
And we also welcome the constructive engagement of Parliament as discussions continue on this particular file, which again we would like to see being finalized within our presidency as well. And the emission ETS, the Commission view is expected on the 17th of July. And now that has been reviewed and we may have it this week.
So we await the publication of the Commission's review of it. We acknowledge the need for an effective climate action here whilst safeguarding again Europe's competitiveness. And I think I said this during my... it is important that when we are talking about decarbonization, we are not actually sacrificing competitiveness for decarbonization. We have to work in tandem on both to make sure both progress together. And we will continue to keep that in mind.
The passenger package... yeah, this is a presidency priority for us. And it delivers direct to the passenger, to the citizen of Europe. And I think that's fundamental. And it is one of the themes we have in transport and also in our general presidency. So transport operators can benefit from fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory market conditions.
The key challenge is again striking the right balance between the passenger protection and the workable rules for operators and platforms as well. But we will continue to work with that and accept that the citizen comes first. Multimodal passenger rights... again, that was raised by... not quite sure, is it Kaya or Jan? We support the development of the multimodal travel across Europe. We should ensure there's a clear and consistent legal framework for passengers and operators alike.
And I hope we will bring in this file to conclusion within our presidency as well and look forward to working with yourselves in the Parliament here as well. I think I may have covered most of the issues raised there. And just to thank you, and I'll hand you over to Minister Burke.
Okay. Then Mr. Burke, you have the floor.
Peter Burke
Thank you very much, Cathaoirleach. Thank you very much, members. Just in relation to MEP O'Quinn, who raised a number of issues around cross-border car rentals. Obviously, we're expecting this file by the end of the year. And critically, Ireland's presidency looks forward to examining it in detail when it arrives.
And obviously, we'll take a lead role for working with the working party group of the Council, which will be critical. So once we get the file, we'll be able to adjudicate more on it.
So we will start now the second round of the questions. We have nine requests, nine speakers. I will ask you to keep the time, one minute each, please. Maybe the majority of the issues have been covered, I don't know. So we start with Mr. Jonski for one minute each.
Thank you very much.
Dariusz Joński
Okay. Sixty seconds. Okay. Thank you very much, Chair. I have one question about military mobility because it's a key element of Europe's defense readiness and creation of a military Schengen.
Will the Irish presidency commit to using the mandate to bring the trilogue negotiation to a successful conclusion and deliver a final agreement before the end of your presidency? Thank you.
Thank you very much. Monsieur François Kalfon.
François Kalfon
Oui, je vais m'exprimer en français sur la question des flottes d'entreprises. Alors j'ai entendu que des gens disaient à quel point c'était terrible de... c'était un retour en arrière de décarboner les voitures. Je pense résolument le contraire. Le changement climatique a fait 2000 morts dans mon pays avec la canicule et un tiers de ce pays, plus de 400 feux sont en cours. Donc je voudrais quand même qu'on prenne au sérieux la question du carbone et donc de la décarbonation.
D'un autre point de vue, les perspectives du Boston Consulting Group nous parlent de 100 000 emplois perdus en Europe et de plusieurs usines, une usine sur trois qui peut fermer.
La question est donc non pas de retarder la décarbonation, mais de combler le retard entre la Chine qui a 10 ans d'avance et l'industrie européenne. Donc je pense qu'il faut tenir ferme sur cet objectif de décarbonation. Et je vais vous poser une question toute simple. Est-ce que la présidence irlandaise va soutenir ce texte puisque 60 % des voitures sont vendues par le biais des flottes d'entreprise, avec une question encore plus précise : quel est le calendrier du Conseil sur le paquet automobile et quelles sont à vos yeux les voies de passage pour trouver un accord entre les 27 entre décarbonation et compétitivité ? Voilà, je vous remercie.
Thank you. Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, please.
Cynthia Ní Mhurchú
Go raibh míle maith agat, a Chathaoirligh Elizabeth. I will speak as Gaeilge if you'd like to put on your earphones. Tá mo cheist á cur agam ar an Aire Kenny, go raibh míle maith agat as ucht do chur i láthair ar an gcéad dul síos maidir leis na feithiclí corparáideacha glana. So I have a question, tá ceist agam don Aire Burke, agus baineann sé le cúrsaí taistil agus nuálaíocht sa turasóireacht. So, a Aire, tá an-tábhacht ag baint leis an turasóireacht i ngeilleagar na hÉireann, mar is ceart, ach níl an turasóireacht ach ag brath ar na milliúin post atá faoi cheannas gnólachtaí beaga agus meánmhéide, agus atá ina gcnámh droma d'earnáil an fháilteachais san Eoraip.
Agus ag an am céanna, tá straitéis nua don turasóireacht inbhuanaithe á hullmhú ag an gCoimisiún, mar a luaigh tú. Ach níl aon chiste ann fós chun tacú le taisteal, turasóireacht nuálach, agus comhordú seirbhísí fáilte. Agus gan amhras ar bith, is iad na gnólachtaí beaga agus meánmhéide is mó a bheidh thíos leis an easpa maoinithe seo. Beidh sé i bhfad níos deacra cabhrú le cinnscríbe léinn a bhainistiú, freagairt do bhunfhrith-thurasóireacht le beartas atá bunaithe ar fhianaise, tacú le gnólachtaí beaga agus meánmhéide i rith an ama seo, agus an t-athrú digiteach a chur chun cinn. So, cad is féidir libhse san rialtas a dhéanamh ar son tacaíocht a thabhairt do na gnólachtaí sin a luaigh mé?
Agus guím gach rath ort i rith na hUachtaránachta. Go raibh maith agat.
Nina Carberry
Go raibh maith agat, Chair. Go raibh maith agat, Minister Kenny and Minister Burke, for being here today. Minister Kenny, you mentioned the European port strategy in your remarks, and it's also welcome to see the recent publication of Ireland's national ports policy with a clear call for a new port on the east coast. So I might ask what concrete follow-up does the presidency intend to deliver by December on the European port strategy, and in particular, how will it ensure a clear link between the port strategy and the future of the Connecting Europe Facility? And also, in particular, how will the presidency seek to protect funding for cross-border TEN-T projects and ensure island member states continue to receive support?
And then obviously you've talked about the greening corporate fleets as well and the concerns I have there. Maybe Minister Burke, maybe the knock-on effect to tourism, maybe you might address the concerns I have around the greening corporate fleets and what that could mean for the tourism side of things. And then for Minister Burke, just turning to tourism, I would like to talk about the Commission's sustainable tourism strategy, which has been delayed. Once it's published, could you give us more detail on how and what the Council conclusions may focus on? And maybe to say what concrete outcome do you hope to secure from the European Tourism Forum that you're hopefully hosting in November?
And I'm glad to hear you mention the importance of skills. I'd love to hear more how the presidency plans to advance this strategy in relation to skills and quality jobs. So thank you very much. Thank you.
Rosa Serrano Sierra
Gracias, presidenta. Señores ministros, nos alegra tenerlos aquí y les deseo muchos éxitos en esta presidencia. Señor Cani, escuchando sus prioridades, hemos oído hablar de competitividad, de descarbonización, de seguridad, de sostenibilidad. Son cuestiones vinculadas y relacionadas muy directamente con la normativa de la directiva de pesos y dimensiones. Su programa se basa en la hoja de ruta Una Europa, un mercado, y esta revisión también es una pieza clave para completar el mercado único.
Porque Europa necesita normas armonizadas que garanticen una competencia justa y reglas transfronterizas claras para empresas y transportistas. Si podemos transportar más mercancías con un solo camión en lugar de dos, reduciremos costes, emisiones y congestión, además de mejorar la seguridad vial. Todos sabemos que mantener una normativa fragmentada solo aumenta carga administrativa, genera inseguridad jurídica y perjudica tanto a las empresas como a los consumidores. Por ello, nos complace saber que reconoce la importancia de esta normativa, pero necesitamos también el compromiso y el impulso por parte de la presidencia en esta revisión. Muchas gracias.
Thank you. Madame Baljeu.
Jeannette Baljeu
Thank you, ministers, and for Mr. Kenny, two points. You mentioned port strategy, and for the Renew group, I will be shadow on this file. Looking forward to working on a reaction from Parliament's side. But of course, it's very important that we also start looking on what we can do on reviewing regulations. So what would be the time path that you foresee?
And as a second point, you mentioned the IMO as well. I was part of the IMO delegation from Parliament for the last General Assembly. We saw some good progress towards hopefully next year international agreement on the CO2 reduction. What could Parliament do to help you to, in these crucial months, upcoming months, to push forward to an international agreement? Thank you so much.
Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi
Thank you. Mrs. Koning is here? Mrs. Koning? No. Yes.
Mr. Gonçalves.
Sérgio Gonçalves
Thank you, Chair. Dear ministers, thank you both for joining us today. In its conclusions on the EU port strategy adopted last month, the Council highlighted the need to recognize the importance of ports in the outermost regions. These regions depend heavily on maritime transport for access to essential goods as they often have no viable alternative modes of transport, and there is a risk to an increase in the cost of living for citizens. As you know, under the extension of the ETS maritime transport, the outermost regions benefit from a derogation until the end of 2030.
I'm from Madeira Island, and this is something that I'm sure you understand very well, being from an island member state. So against this, will you support in the forthcoming revision of the ETS an extension of the existing derogation so that the outermost regions have sufficient time and adequate conditions to decarbonize without undermining their connectivity and territorial cohesion?
Thanks.
Thank you very much. And last but not least, Mrs. Constanzo. Thank you.
Vivien Costanzo
So, you were here just for more or less one hour, so you could listen to all these different positions, especially to the automotive package, but you were lucky because you could listen to the English translation. I had to listen to it in German, so I had the exact words in my ear. So that's why you know, or now you understand how difficult it will be in this Parliament to find a compromise and a solution on this automotive package. That's why I have two questions. First question is, do you see these three different files as a package?
And second, François Caifort also asked a question about the majority. So now you know how difficult it is to find a position in the Parliament. How do you want to find a position inside the Council until the end of the year? Thanks.
Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi
Sorry, Mr. Andersen, I didn't see you. It's contre-lumière. I apologize. You have the floor.
Asger Christensen
Thank you very much, and thank you for a good presentation. Now I will speak Danish. 25 procent af al den transport vi har, det er fødevarerelateret. Sikkerhedsspørgsmål omkring det, at fødevarerne kommer frem rettidigt, og at der til stadighed er fødevarer på hylderne, det er helt, helt afgørende. Det er afgørende, at vi har en effektiv transport, bæredygtigt og CO2-reducerende, uanset om det er søtransport eller det er luftvejen, eller det er på vej.
I de nordiske lande, der har vi gode erfaringer med big trucks. Jeg vil spørge det irske formandskab, om de vil være med til at fremme big trucks i resten af Europa. Hvis vi gør det, så kan vi reducere vores belastning, CO2-belastning med omkring 25 procent. Det vil betyde rigtig meget på fremkommeligheden på vejene, og det vil betyde en meget, meget stor CO2-reduktion. Tak.
Thank you very much. Is any other colleague want the floor? No. Okay, now we start, Mr. Kelly. You have the floor, sir.
Seán Canney
Thank you all very much. We got nine speakers in there. The first thing I want to address is in relation to military mobility. Military mobility is critical for Europe's defense readiness, and we must enhance our ability to swiftly move troops and equipment across the Union and to its external borders. This is a priority for the Irish presidency, and we look forward to fruitful inter-institutional discussions on this.
And our aim is to reach agreement by the end of our presidency. And tomorrow we have a trilogue on this starting tomorrow morning. So we are, the intent is to get it concluded within our presidency. The ports was raised by Nina and others in relation to, and I want to first of all say that Cyprus did a huge amount of work during their presidency in bringing forward the strategy, EU strategy on ports. Now the focus is on implementing that.
And when we're implementing the strategy, we need to make sure that there is funding available. And that's why I say it and I repeat it again, if the MFF is agreed, I am willing, we are willing as a presidency to start negotiations straight away if we're allowed to do that in terms of CEF, so that we can actually reach conclusion within our time, our term of office.
I think the opportunity is there for the ports, it's there for the hinterland to the ports, and I think it's important for the TEN-T as you mentioned and others mentioned, the ports and their how important they are. So I'd be saying to everybody, settle on the the main cake as I call it, and we will not be found wanting in trying to or in negotiating and agreeing the CEF funding, which is vital in order that this strategy which we have agreed can be realized as quickly as possible. There was the weights and dimensions, as I said before, that is a long-running file. I think I answered that earlier, but just say we are minded to get on with this file as quickly as possible. It's an important file for for the road safety and decarbonization, and we welcome the the constructive engagement with Parliament.
And we also say that we should consider where we can make progress for the greening of heavy vehicles, and I think that's important as well. So we look forward to working with everybody on that. And the IMO net-zero framework is important that we do deliver. It's essential, in fact, for the maritime sector if the maritime sector is to play its key role in the global energy transition that we have a sustainable IMO strategy on the reduction of greenhouse gases. And we welcome the significant progress that has been made towards developing the first global reductions, and we remain committed to building the broadest possible support to ensure adoption of the net-zero framework in December 2026.
And we strongly support the multilateral discussions that are taking place, and we will chair coordination meetings with the partners to maintain momentum and to deepen the consensus in relation to that. And lastly, yes, somebody mentioned about catching up with China. And I think it's important, you know, practically to say that the way we will do that is by supporting competitiveness and making ourselves more efficient and making sure that we can actually become better at what we have been doing and do it a lot more efficiently so that we can compete. And that's part of what we're our themes for the for the presidency to deliver on the competitiveness. And I think that's that's it for me here.
I hand you back to Peter.
Peter Burke
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Tá dhá cheist agam ó MEP Niebler agus MEP Carbery. First of all, for MEP Niebler, obviously innovation is going to be key on behalf of our tourism and sustainable strategy. I think it's key to the work we'll be doing through the Competitive Council, and it's one of the areas of agenda that we set out on our recent Competitive Council where we were setting out our priorities, particularly under the One Europe, One Market roadmap, which will be key in breaking down the barriers that we have really seen ever reaching over the single market of which we have to work on, and particularly in businesses to reduce the regulatory burden, which is quite significant, support SME growth, which is very important, and help businesses innovate, which is the lifeblood of businesses as they work on innovation to support their efforts. So our presidency will be very much focused on that regard.
I think in relation to our contribution to research innovation, obviously the work we do in innovation framework for Horizon Europe will be very much front and central in the European Innovation Act and will support the development and deployment of new technologies, enabling tourism and business destinations to become more innovative and to focus critically on the relevance for tourism and how important it is for so many rural communities and create huge opportunities. And that's the work we'll continue on the trio program, which is so important for the presidency as well. And for MEP Nina Carbery, obviously it's critical in terms of how our strategy will be brought forward by late this year.
I think it's very important that we do deliver it under our presidency. I think it's critical we build on the European Council adoption of the May 2026 resolution during the Cypriot presidency. And also when we look at that tourism is 10% of Europe's GDP, we've 4.6 million businesses which operate in it, about 26 million jobs and which is so critical that in so many of our countries it drives so much of that activity in rural areas. So first of all, I think we need strong evidence-based policymaking, so the data will be central to that. And that's why we really welcome the tourism statistics framework that will be very important to set out that agenda when that review is completed.
Secondly, I think digitalisation is going to be so important and critically in terms of how the research is conducted for people making choices in a modern era to choose where to go for tourism. And we've so much to offer from our natural heritage and our attractions in Europe. It's important that our SMEs have that digital capacity. I think that will be very, very important. Skills is also critical because I think it's important that people see a strong career pathway in tourism and that they can be proud of that as one which I think the Irish presidency will really focus on is high-quality jobs in the tourism sector and to provide the skills and the training and the ongoing lifelong learning that's required to ensure that people can grow in relation to that.
Obviously we also have a lot of work to do in relation to the short-term rental regulation and the developments and the data that that will bring for the Affordable Housing Act as well will be very welcome because that goes hand in glove with your evidence-based policymaking which will be very important and the challenge that some communities have in relation to tourism numbers and how we get an even disbursement across various jurisdictions and highlight, you know, the opportunity in some areas that haven't got that opportunity which can provide balance to countries and meet their needs. So we look forward to working with our presidency and our colleagues when we get a very good significant strategy that really, really demonstrates how important tourism is at the heart of the European Union.
Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi
Thank you very much. So now, dear ministers, thank you both for joining us this afternoon and for taking time to answer our questions. On behalf of the TRAN Committee, I wish you every success during your presidency and look forward to its achievements with great interest and high expectations. You can count on a constructive cooperation with our committee and I'm sure that we can count on the Irish presidency when it comes to finding compromises on key legislative issues. Thank you very much.
Now colleagues, we have to continue. Take your seat please.
Pardon?
We need to wait until they connect because they know for 4:00. For Mr. Domingo. The one from for 4:00. This from Mr. Dominguez. Yes, exactly.
It was 4:00. And now... We will have a break for 10 minutes only please. Thank you.