Minister Sanna Marin to attend the Transport and Telecommunications Council

The EU transport ministers will meet in Brussels on 2 December and the telecommunications ministers on 3 December.  Minister of Transport and Communications Sanna Marin will be chairing the meetings.

The Transport Council aims to agree its position on amending the Eurovignette Directive. In the proposal, the scope of the Directive is extended and making progress in impacting the management of the environment.

The meeting also aims to agree its position on the proposal on streamlining and speeding up permit-granting measures of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). 

In addition, the Transport Council aims to agree its position on the proposal for a Regulation on rail passengers' rights and obligations. The aim is to update legislation to reflect today's operating environment.

The Council will hold a policy debate on digital services for passenger transport and on what the EU should do to promote them. One of the key topics for discussion is access to data.

"Digitalisation makes it smooth and easy for ordinary citizens to move around. Digitalisation of transport also makes it possible to help reduce transport emissions. Digitalisation affects the competitiveness and wellbeing of Europe as a whole, and we want to promote the development of climate-friendly and sustainable digital transport services, in particular," says Minister of Transport and Communications Sanna Marin.

A policy debate will also take place on the future of the Single European Sky. Over lunch, ministers will discuss the promotion of the use of alternative fuels.

As the country holding the Presidency, Finland will include information on the proposed directive on discontinuing seasonal time changes.

5G and the data economy to be discussed in Telecommunications Council

The Telecommunications Council aims to adopt conclusions on the significance of 5G technology and the need to mitigate related security risks. The Council conclusions are a continuation of the risk assessment work. The EU's coordinated risk assessment was published on 9 October 2019.

The Council will take stock of progress on the Regulation on Protection of Privacy in Electronic Communications (ePrivacy). The Regulation aims to provide a high level of protection of electronic communications and electronic communications data processing. Deliberations on the Regulation are ongoing in the Council.

Ministers will hold a policy debate on the development of the data economy in the European Union. The aim is to hear the Council's views on the measures needed in the near future, how to encourage companies to sharing data and how to ensure that systems are human-centric. The principles for the European data economy, drawn up under Finland's leadership were published on 26 November.

"The data economy is based on the principle that data moves. The availability of data is therefore a key issue. We must ensure that it is available, and by means of legislation, if necessary. We need a common vision on how to develop the data economy in Europe in a more human-centric direction," says Minister Marin.

The theme of the ministerial lunch will be automation and artificial intelligence, as well as related ethical and legal perspectives.

Finland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union runs from 1 July to 31 December 2019.

Inquiries:

Pirita Ruokonen, Special Adviser to the Minister, tel. + 358 50 911 3099
Maaria Mäntyniemi, Ministerial Adviser, tel. + 358 50 444 0922