The Commission's legislative proposals for more competitive ground-handling services, better usage of take-off and landing slots and a harmonised approach to reduce noise nuisance around airports came under severe fire during a hearing with independent experts, representatives of airlines, airports, national aviation authorities and citizens' NGOs in the Transport and Tourism Committee on Tuesday 8 May.

The European Agency for Maritime Safety (EMSA) would get new powers to step up cooperation against piracy, prevent maritime pollution, improve training for seafarers and help establish an EU maritime space without barriers under an informal deal struck on Thursday by Parliament’s negotiating team, and the Council’s Danish Presidency.

"I will think it over again", said Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas after a lively debate with Transport Committee MEPs on Monday. Mr Kallas expressed regret that he had not informed the committee before the news spread that the Commission was lifting the ban on cross-border usage of longer and heavier trucks. "I did not realize that the issue was that sensitive", he argued, since "No Member State will have to accept longer trucks on its territory if it does not wish to".

Parliament's Transport Committee voiced deep concern on Tuesday over the threat of retaliation actions against European airlines if the EU continues implementing the new carbon trading scheme for flights departing and arriving in the EU. While some MEPs recommended abolishing the scheme, others feared a total loss of credibility if the EU gave in to threats from third countries. Later, In an Environment Committee debate on Thursday, most MEPs urged the Commission to stand by the scheme.

All-in air fares, airline employees able to help stranded passengers immediately, passengers being repatriated when airlines go bust are the key requests set out in a resolution on air passengers' rights voted by the Transport and Tourism Committee on Tuesday.

MEPs voiced concern about evacuation procedure training on passenger ships and suggested limiting cruise ship size by law, in a Transport and Tourism Committee debate with Commissioner Siim Kallas on Tuesday. An investigation of the Concordia accident will help shape a revision of ship safety rules and new measures might be tabled before the end of 2012, Mr Kallas said. He also deplored EU Member States' "lack of enthusiasm" for stepping up the European Maritime Safety Agency's powers.

The resolution drafted by Mathieu Grosch (EPP, BE) and adopted today calls for the abolition of all remaining barriers and borders in order to complete the creation of a single transport area for goods and passengers which is competitive, co-modal and resource efficient. Today's vote by the transport committee reflects a broad political consensus on the main safety and environmental targets to be reached by 2020.

To encourage new rail operators to enter the market and offer more and better rail services, Parliament's Transport Committee voted to strengthen EU legislation on liberalised rail services. Every EU Member State should set up a truly independent regulator to stop discriminatory practices and market distortion in rail services, according to the legislative proposal adopted on Tuesday.

A 50% reduction in the deaths and injuries on Europe's roads, clear targets for reducing CO2 emissions and the inclusion of the costs of noise and pollution in the prices of all modes of transport: these are the key proposals in the draft report on the Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area presented to Parliament's Transport Committee on Thursday by Mathieu Grosch (EPP, BE).

A Commission recommendation to make eCall road accident reporting devices mandatory on all new cars and light commercial vehicles sold in the EU from 2015 was welcomed by Transport Committee MEPs at a meeting with Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes on Thursday. The devices currently cost under €100 to install.