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Siim Kallas has been a member of the European Commission since November 2004; now he will be in charge of transport. During the hearing, he addressed the most important current topics such as the reduction of greenhouse gases, intelligent transport systems or urban mobility. As a self-confessed Liberal, Kallas, however, did not spend much time elaborating on working conditions.

The damaging effects of traffic had to be taken into account and greenhouse emissions had to be reduced, commented the transport commissioner designate Kallas in his introductory statement. A regulatory framework for clean technologies should be created and external costs should be priced. Kallas also intends to drive forward intelligent transport systems and to improve the investments for the Transeuropean Networks. The Commissioner, however, came out against financing small projects, whose only objective it would often be to score points in regional or municipal elections. One also had to look in more detail at the financing opportunities for transport projects.

MEP El Khadraoui of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats criticised that new Commissioners had been promising to tackle the impact of climate change and to support the reduction of greenhouse gases for the last 10 years. However, hardly anything had happened. What were the long-term goals of the transport department, asked El Khadraoui. Kallas referred to the binding targets, which were specified in the 2020 Strategy Paper. He would like to use his time in office to bring about a change in transport, even though it took a long time until something changed in this sector. With regard to the working conditions, which were also mentioned by El Khadraoui, Kallas only commented that there were great differences between the Member States concerning working times and working conditions, which had to be adjusted by the various modes of transport (e.g. road and maritime transport).

The question, whether an internalisation of external costs would equally apply to all traffic participants, was not affirmed by Kallas. Positive, however, was the reaction of Kallas concerning the question of MEP Eva Lichtenberger of the Greens, what his opinion was on Giga liners (HGVs with a capacity of 60 tons and a length of 25.25 metres). The Commissioner replied that one had to listen to all participants before being able to make a proposal. However, he personally would have his own concerns if giant HGVs would appear on the roads. Kallas only commented cautiously on the Eurovignette Directive; he was, however, hopeful that things would start moving again at Council level when Belgium assumed the Presidency in July 2010.

Mathieu Grosch of the European People’s Party asked Siim Kallas, whether the various means of transport should compete with each other or whether co-modality should exist. Kallas avoided the question and said that transport had to be regarded as a whole.

MEP Jörg Leichtfried of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats asked Kallas, whether he would like to see airport security regulated at EU level and what he thought of body scanners. Kallas made clear that he preferred EU regulations for airport security and that he regarded the costs in this sector as very high. Concerning body scanners he opted for rules on EU level.

The statements of Kallas unfortunately give rise to the expectation that - as under his predecessor Tajani - when it comes to transport issues the employment and social sector will (once again) hardly be taken into account over the next five years. One can only hope that there will be some improvements at least with regard to passenger rights.

Further information:

Brief profile of Siim Kallas