BETA


2022/2643(RSP) Resolution on the impact of the Russian illegal war of aggression against Ukraine on the EU transport and tourism sectors

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead TRAN DELLI Karima (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 132-p2

Events

2022/07/25
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2022/05/05
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2022/05/05
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted a resolution tabled by the Committee on Transport and Tourism on the impact of the Russian illegal war of aggression against Ukraine on the EU transport and tourism sectors.

Sanctions in the transport sector

Parliament welcomed the EU's unprecedented and evolving sanctions against the Kremlin in response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine and called on the EU to continue to consider further sanctions in the transport sector. Transport is a strategic way for the EU to express its solidarity with Ukraine.

Members condemned the targeted attacks by Russian forces on transport infrastructure in Ukraine, which prevent the Ukrainian authorities from evacuating civilians and delivering goods and necessities to people in need. They called on the EU to provide financial assistance to help Ukraine rebuild its transport infrastructure.

Parliament welcomed the measures adopted by the Commission to help Member States, transport operators and workers to continue transport operations and to support the transport of refugees from Ukraine and humanitarian aid. It welcomed the European transport operators who offer free travel to Ukrainian citizens by train, bus, boat and plane, as well as the many initiatives that provide free transport of goods and people to and from the Ukrainian border.

The ongoing conflict and Russia's retaliation against EU sanctions also have an impact on the EU transport sector. The Commission is invited to urgently carry out an economic and social assessment of the consequences of the war on all modes of transport in the EU market and to swiftly propose aid to mitigate the negative effects.

Navigation

Parliament is concerned about the serious impact of the conflict on the air transport sector. It pointed out that Ukraine and Russia are among the largest producers of titanium, the main metal used in aircraft manufacture, and that the ongoing conflict could affect supply in the short term. The Commission is invited to assess and, if necessary, present a strategy to support EU airlines and their workforce, which have been hit hard by the Russian and Belarusian overflight ban, rising fuel prices and dropping demand.

Maritime transport

Members welcomed the third pillar of the Commission's fifth package of sanctions against Russia, which bans Russian-flagged and Russian-operated ships from accessing EU ports. However, they asked to go beyond these measures to prevent their circumvention and to deny access to EU ports to all ships , irrespective of their owner or operator, which also call at Russian ports along their route, unless there are justified humanitarian reasons. They further requested that all ships wishing to make an EU port call be forbidden to bunker fuel in Russian ports or from Russian bunkering ships at sea.

Rail transport

Members regretted that there is no direct ban on rail transport operations with Russian railways for the time being. They pointed out, however, that freight trains face physical barriers , with thousands of wagons stuck in queues at the border between Ukraine and EU countries.

The Commission is invited to: (i) support Ukraine in its efforts to divert traffic flows, establish new connections and develop fast-track trade routes, which is particularly urgent for the transport of perishable goods such as wheat; (ii) support Ukraine and its efforts to strengthen rail connections between Ukraine and the EU; (iii) start immediate negotiations with Ukraine on the liberalisation of international rail and inland waterway freight transport.

Road transport

Parliament welcomed the recent sanctions prohibiting road transport undertakings established in Russia and Belarus from carrying goods by road within the European Union. It called on the Commission to explore ways of supporting the transport of passengers or any kind of goods to and from Ukraine and the EU's neighbouring countries as humanitarian aid and to provide the necessary relief from road tolls, infrastructure charges, weekend access, taxation, etc.

Members called for the immediate conclusion of the EU-Ukraine agreement on road freight transport and asked the Commission and Member States to start applying the agreement immediately on a provisional basis.

TEN-T and military mobility

Parliament called for the ongoing TEN-T review to be used to significantly increase investment in transport infrastructure connections with the Western Balkans, Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. It also called on the Commission, Council and Parliament to use the review to revise the new TEN-T maps, and to propose an addendum for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, in order to meet the entirely new transport needs arising from Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.

Rising energy prices for transport

The rising cost of fuel for air, road and sea transport has a direct impact on the prices of final goods and services, and rising fuel prices are affecting the recovery of tourism after the pandemic.

Parliament argued for the need to make European energy independent of Russian sources as soon as possible. However, it regretted that the Commission had not yet addressed the issue of increased fuel prices for transport operators. The Commission is invited to analyse the economic impact of fuel prices on EU transport and mobility and to adopt further measures to address rising transport prices, in line with the European Green Deal.

Members called on the Commission, and in particular national, regional and local governments, to implement measures in line with the International Energy Agency's 10-point plan to reduce oil consumption. They stressed the urgent need to significantly increase domestic production, supply and storage of renewable fuels/energy in the EU.

Documents
2022/05/03
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2022/04/28
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2022/04/28
   EP - DELLI Karima (Verts/ALE) appointed as rapporteur in TRAN

Documents

Activities