Documents by topic : Regions and transport

Polluted Baltic Sea looking for a regeneration strategy

Article - Regional policy - 16-09-2009 - 09:02

Summertime always brings blue-green algae blooms feeding off the heavily polluted Baltic Sea. Yet swimming might become a better prospect in the coming years. The Commission and Council are going to introduce to Members their new Baltic Sea Strategy on Wednesday, 16 September at around 1040 aimed at cleaning up the sea. Follow it online via our website.

Summer motoring - keeping Europe's roads safer

Article - Transport - 11-08-2009 - 12:57

There are many reasons for taking the car on holiday - practicality, fear of flying or the feeling of independence it gives. Sadly however, the holiday season regularly brings a spate of deaths on the roads. Last year 39,000 people were killed in road accidents, which continue to be the most frequent cause of death for children, adolescents and young adults in Europe. The official EU aim is to half the number of road deaths between 2001 and 2010.

Safe and secure flights in the EU

Article - Transport - 07-07-2009 - 11:57

You arrive at the airport ready for your flight - but upon arrival you find the flight has been overbooked leaving you waiting for another one. Even worse, there are no connecting flights and you could be stranded half way to your destination. With air travel so popular it is worth knowing what guarantees your ticket provides. The European Parliament has been active in protecting the rights of air passengers. As holiday season starts we assess the obligations of airlines.

MEPs could back speeding up the rate at which Europe's regional funds are made available. A new measure being discussed this week will call for them to be put on-stream this year and into projects faster to help boost Europe's ailing economy. Europe's cohesion policy is €347 billon over the next seven years and MEPs on the Regional Development Committee have already called for the parts will benefit the economy directly to me made available immediately.

Green issues continue to dominate the headlines, as MEPs from the Transport Committee vote Wednesday on possible new charges for lorries, based not only on CO2 emissions but other factors such as noise and air pollution and congestion. We asked some MEPs what they think about targeting trucks and where the newly generated taxes should be spent.

Airport charges are one of the hidden costs of flying and usually they are passed on from airlines to passengers. Wednesday evening sees MEPs debate whether to support a proposed directive which aims to set common rules for how charges are calculated. It could affect Europe's biggest airports and help introduce more competition between them.

Drivers caught speeding abroad must no longer be able to avoid prosecution, say MEPs on Parliament's Transport Committee, who overwhelmingly voted to back a report that will make cross border law enforcement easier. Last year over 40,000 people lost their lives on Europe's roads and MEPs want coordinated European action on the causes of 75% of those fatalities: speeding, drink driving, not wearing a seatbelt and failing to stop at red lights.

Clearer information on taxes and surcharges and more information on greener travel options are just two of the proposed benefits of an overhaul of the rules that govern computerised reservation systems across Europe. These systems are widely used by travel agents and for online booking. Operated jointly by airlines, travel agents and car hire firms the current code of conduct is not felt to be strong enough. MEPs will debate a new regulation late Wednesday.