REPORT on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, of behalf of the European Community, of the Protocol on the Implementation of the Alpine Convention in the field of Transport (Transport Protocol)

2.4.2009 - (COM(2008)0895 – C6‑0073/2009 – 2008/0262(CNS)) - *

Committee on Transport and Tourism
Rapporteur: Reinhard Rack

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, of behalf of the European Community, of the Protocol on the Implementation of the Alpine Convention in the field of Transport (Transport Protocol)

(COM(2008)0895 – C6‑0073/2009 – 2008/0262(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the proposal for a Council decision (COM(2008)0895),

–   having regard to Article 71 and the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) of the EC Treaty,

–   having regard to Article 300(3), first subparagraph, of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6‑0073/2009),

–   having regard to Rules 51 and 83(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (A6‑0219/2009),

1.  Approves conclusion of the Protocol;

2.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission, and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The Alpine region extends, in all, over eight countries, which seek to coordinate their action and find joint solutions to problems affecting this unique and highly sensitive region. In particular, tackling environmental problems and climate change, which particularly affect this region, calls for coordinated cross-border action.

The entry into force of the Alpine Convention on 4 April 1998 gave a very important signal that the protection and conservation of this region is an important and urgent concern. The protection of the Alpine region calls, especially, for a common transport policy geared towards sustainability. Against this background, the Protocol on the Implementation of the Alpine Convention in the field of Transport (Transport Protocol), which provides for concrete measures and a legal framework for sustainable mobility in the Alps, was adopted on 24-26 May 2000.

However, the Transport Protocol has still not been ratified by all of the countries that are contracting parties to the Alpine Convention. Almost nine years after the adoption of the Protocol, it is high time to end this unsatisfactory situation and ensure that the Protocol enters into force in all Alpine states.

Your rapporteur expressly welcomes the proposed ratification of the Transport Protocol by the European Community and wishes to point out once again that full ratification of the Protocol must be a priority. Parliament's approval of the ratification of the Protocol should also be seen as a call to those countries which have not yet signed the Protocol to press ahead with the ratification process.

PROCEDURE

Title	Protocol on the Implementation of the Alpine Convention in the field of Transport (Transport Protocol)
References	COM(2008)0895 – C6-0073/2009 – 2008/0262(CNS)
Date of consulting Parliament	24.2.2009
Committee responsible        Date announced in plenary	TRAN 9.3.2009
Committee(s) asked for opinion(s)        Date announced in plenary	ENVI 9.3.2009
Not delivering opinions        Date of decision	ENVI 11.2.2009
Rapporteur(s)        Date appointed	Reinhard Rack 20.1.2009
Discussed in committee	16.3.2009
Date adopted	31.3.2009
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	35 0 0
Members present for the final vote	Gabriele Albertini, Inés Ayala Sender, Paolo Costa, Luis de Grandes Pascual, Petr Duchoň, Saïd El Khadraoui, Robert Evans, Emanuel Jardim Fernandes, Francesco Ferrari, Brigitte Fouré, Mathieu Grosch, Georg Jarzembowski, Stanisław Jałowiecki, Timothy Kirkhope, Jaromír Kohlíček, Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Jörg Leichtfried, Eva Lichtenberger, Erik Meijer, Luís Queiró, Reinhard Rack, Ulrike Rodust, Gilles Savary, Brian Simpson, Renate Sommer, Dirk Sterckx, Ulrich Stockmann, Michel Teychenné, Yannick Vaugrenard, Armando Veneto, Roberts Zīle
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Elisabeth Jeggle, Anne E. Jensen, Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou
Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote	Elisabeth Schroedter
Date tabled	2.4.2009