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ENERGY LIBERALISATION INTERVIEW ENLARGEMENT The makings of an energy Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Obstacles abound on Balkans’ watchdog Page 10 Jean Asselborn Page 14 road to EU Page 15 EUROPOLITICS The European affairs daily Tuesday 31 March 2009 N° 3725 37th year FOCUS TRANSPORT COUNCIL Crisis a good excuse to delay Iceland looking towards EU Eurovignette revision By Isabelle Smets is admittedly suffering from the crisis, “it is also in transport that growth rates are The question of whether or not to join The economic crisis is serving as the highest” when crises come to an end. the European Union has become a key a good excuse for the member states Sweden and Hungary also noted that the element of the election campaign in Ice- opposed to revision of the Eurovignette crisis could not be used as a pretext to land. It is uppermost in the minds of the Directive, which brought it up time and delay the debate, but Transport Com- main parties as they prepare their strat- again at the Council of Transport Minis- missioner Antonio Tajani did not seem egy for the elections to be held in less ters, in Brussels on 30 March. to want to shake up the troops, saying he than four weeks.Johanna Sigurdardottir, The revised directive is meant to allow did not want “to do things too fast”. the new leader of the Social Democrats, the member states to set up road charg- Over and above the advisability of the only real pro-European party, negoti- ing systems that reflect the external costs legislating now, the discussions focused ated, on 30 March, with the Left-Greens of the road transport of freight (costs primarily on whether or not congestion an agreement on this crucial issue, of pollution, noise and congestion, should be included in the scope of the which came back on the agenda after the according to the proposal). directive, ie whether trucks should be country’s economy collapsed due to the However, since it will logically result made to pay the costs of traffic jams. financial crisis. The Social Democrats, in an increase in transport prices – seen The question divides the Council and who are in the lead according to the as either minimal or disproportionate, many delegations are opposed (Malta, latest polls, are running the interim gov- depending on the point of view – its Portugal, Lithuania, Latvia, Ireland and ernment with the ecologists. At the con- detractors repeated untiringly that “this Estonia). Others are prepared to accept clusion of their congress the day before, is not the right time”. And considering it provided that passenger cars also con- they confirmed that EU accession would the state of the debate, an agreement at tribute (Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, be a plank in their platform. The Left- the next Transport Council in June - the Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Italy). The Green party, credited with 26% voting Czech Presidency’s goal - appears highly compromise tabled by the Czech EU intentions, has until now considered unlikely. Presidency on this point is nowhere that it was in Iceland’s interests to stay Countries like Germany, Italy, Malta, near rallying unanimity. out of the EU, in particular to protect its Portugal, Lithuania, Latvia, Ireland, the It nevertheless postpones authorisation fisheries sector.The Independence (Con- United Kingdom, Slovakia, Bulgaria, to impose a congestion charge until four servative) party, which ran the country Cyprus, Greece and Estonia all used years after the directive’s entry into force for years, remains opposed to accession the crisis as an argument to call for (seen as “excessive” by the Commission, although it supports a referendum on more time or only a limited revision of which is nonetheless willing to discuss the opening of negotiations and another Directive 1999/62/EC. the matter) and sets strict conditions on accession itself.A clear majority of While it was repeated that “transport (including the obligation for states using Icelanders (64%) support the open- operators have to be helped, not taxed it to adopt an anti-congestion plan). n ing of accession negotiations but only further,” few states pointed out that the 40% back accession, according to a poll measures in question are not meant The Czech EU Presidency’s proposals are published in early March. to be applied right away. 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Rue d’Arlon 53 / B-1040 Brussels or by fax to: +32 (0)2 732 67 57 AP08 EUROPOLITICS N° 3725 Tuesday 31 March 2009 3 Contents N° 3725 Top Stories ENERGY LIBERALISATION INTERVIEW ENLARGEMENT The makings of an energy Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Obstacles abound on Balkans’ watchdog Page 10 Jean Asselborn Page 14 road to EU Page 15 Business & competitiveness Energy/Telecoms: ICT could Institutions Intellectual property: Commission help reduce carbon footprint ..................9 Interview with Luxembourg’s to launch

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