European Community: The Transport Acquis:
...way Transport Code (1996) and the Government Resolution on the Approval of Licensing Regulations for Railway Transport Activities (1996) (source www.thelawresource.com accessed 12/11/03). Inland Waterways - Transport Acquis: The acquis in this area consists of legislation governing the issues of market access, admission to the profession and laying down safety and technical requirements for inland waterway vessels. The legal framework in the area of inland waterways transport consists of more than 30 legal acts, the regulations as stated as follows: The Code of Inland Waterway Transport (1996), Statute of Service in Inland Waterway Ships (1998), Regulations for Inland Waterway Navigation (1999), Minimum Technical Requirements for Ships Sailing in Inland Waterways (1999), Regulations for Technical Maintenance of Inland Waterway Vessels (1999). These means are in full compliance with the EU legislation (source article yahoo news – accessed 12/11/03). Maritime Transport and Safe Shipping Acquis The Acquis in the area of maritime transport consists of three parts: maritime safety, freedom to provide services and external relations. The maritime safety Acquis is mainly based on conventions and regulations of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The legislation in this sector governs such areas as the minimum level of training of seafarers, ship inspection and maintenance, port State control, and safety on roll-on/roll-off passenger ferries. EU legislation in the area of external relations is aimed at ensuring coordinated actions by Member States with regard to external relations by way of ensuring free access to the market of international maritime transport services (Source article yahoo news – accessed 12/11/03). Civil Aviation Acquis Strategic objectives pursued in the civil aviation sector are market liberalisation, air safety, enhancement of civil aviation administrative structures, and reduction of adverse effects on the environment. The EU acquis in the area of civil aviation consists of free parts: technical harmonisation/air safety, airports/the environment and market access. Legislation with regard to air safety and technical harmonisation establishes fundamental principles governing the investigation of civil aviation accidents and incidents, requirements for the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation, procedures for mutual acceptance of personnel licenses, harmonised technical requirements for air traffic management equipment, etc. The aviation sector is governed by the following laws and regulations: Civil Aviation (2000), Regulations for Licensing Civil Aviation Operations (1997), Regulations for the Use of Air Space (1997), Regulations for the Investigation of Civil Aviation Accidents and Incidents (1997), Regulations for Licensing of Civil Aviation Specialists (1994), as amended (1999), and new version of the Regulations for the Registration of Civil Aircraft, Issuing of Registration Certificates and Documents of Proof of Flight Eligibility (1999) (source www.Aseuro.com accessed 12/11/03). The civil aviation acquis in the field of airport operations and the environment govern the access to the ground-handling market at Community airports and provides for the limitation of noise emissions from aeroplanes. EU legislation governing market access provides for freedom for Community air carriers to provide services, establishes common rules for licensing of air carriers, and allows for the application of the principle of price freedom to Community air carriers. The transposition of the EU civil aviation acquis is related to the signing of the “Multilateral Agreement” establishing a “Common European Aviation Area”. After this agreement comes into force, all contracting parties will be subject to uniform rules for licensing, market access and competition, as well as technical, environmental, safety and other requirements (subject source: www.EAA.com accessed 12/11/03). TEN Transport Network: The Trans-European networks of the Treaty establishing the European Community states that to enable citizens of the Union, economic operators and regional and local communities to gain full benefit from the setting-up of an area without internal frontiers, the Community will contribute to the establishment and development of trans-European networks in the areas of transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructures. In order to achieve the objectives mentioned, the Community lays down a series of guidelines covering the objectives, priorities and broad lines of measures foreseen in the sphere of trans-European networks, which identify projects of common interest. The Community may contribute, through the Cohesion Fund, to the financing of specific projects in Member States in the area of transport infrastructure. Member States, in liaison with the Commission, coordinate among themselves the policies pursued at national level, which may have a significant impact on the achievement of these objectives. The policies of transport infrastructure development are governed by the European Parliament via Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network. The decision aims at the establishment of the trans-European transport network gradually by 2010 by integrating land, sea and air transport infrastructure networks throughout the Community in accordance with outline plans and specifications. The decision provides for a reference framework intended to encourage the Member States and, where appropriate, the Community in carrying out projects of common interest. The implementation of these projects depends on their degree of mutuality and the availability of financial resources. The third Pan-European Transport Conference in Helsinki of 1997 in its comprehensive concept of the European Transport Networks identified two multi-modal transport corridors, i.e. Corridor A in a North-South direction and Corridor AB in an East-West direction consisting of road and railway sections 1 and 2 that cross accession state territory, as priority corridors at a European level. (Subject source: www.euro.it accessed 13/11/03) Evaluation of transport acquis implications and strategies: The road transport-related acquis covers a vast area of social, technical, fiscal, safety and environmental requirements. The railway acquis has recently been subject of substantial amendments and the liberalization of this sector will call for an even further opening of national railway markets to competing railway undertakings from other Member States. In aviation, issues of market access, safety and infrastructure organisation have to be addressed. In maritime transport the enforcement of the maritime safety acquis forms one of the biggest challenges. Across all sectors ther...