European Parliament Committee on Transport and Tourism

European Parliament Committee on Transport and Tourism
Name	Committee on Transport and Tourism
Native name	TRAN
Chamber	European Parliament
Jurisdiction	Transport and tourism policy within the European Union

European Parliament Committee on Transport and Tourism

The Committee on Transport and Tourism is a standing committee of the European Parliament responsible for Union policy on transport and tourism matters, including legislation affecting aviation, maritime transport, rail transport, and road transport. It liaises with the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and agencies such as the European Aviation Safety Agency, the European Maritime Safety Agency, and the European Railway Agency to shape directives, regulations, and funding mechanisms. The committee's work influences major programmes including the Trans-European Transport Network and the Connecting Europe Facility, and it frequently engages with stakeholders from industry groups like the International Air Transport Association and trade unions such as the European Transport Workers' Federation.

Overview and Mandate

The committee's formal remit covers legislation and oversight related to air transport involving bodies such as Eurocontrol and the Single European Sky, maritime affairs including the International Maritime Organization frameworks, railway policy touching on the Fourth Railway Package and the European Rail Traffic Management System, as well as road safety measures following instruments like the General Safety Regulation. It monitors funding and infrastructure projects tied to programmes such as the TEN-T core network corridors and engages with external policy dimensions including links with the European Neighbourhood Policy and agreements like the Cotonou Agreement. The committee also addresses aspects of the tourism industry that intersect with consumer rights under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and cross-border mobility under the Schengen Agreement.

Membership and Leadership

Members are appointed from political groups in the European Parliament such as the European People's Party, the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, the Renew Europe Group, the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, and the Identity and Democracy Party. Leadership positions include a chair and multiple vice-chairs elected under Parliament rules mirroring practices used in committees like the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. The committee often forms cross-party rapporteur teams for dossiers, drawing MEPs who have previously worked on files related to the Single Market or the Transport, Telecommunication and Energy Council meetings. Substitute members from delegations tied to external relations, for example delegations for relations with China, United States, or the Western Balkans, occasionally participate due to intersecting transport links.

Legislative Work and Policy Areas

The committee drafts reports and amendments on legislative proposals from the European Commission, including major dossiers such as the Rail Passenger Rights Regulation, the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System, and rules on State aid for ports and airports. It negotiates trilogues with the Council of the European Union and the European Commission to finalize texts like the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive and the Port Services Regulation. Policy themes include decarbonisation informed by the Paris Agreement, digitalisation intersecting with initiatives from the European Digital Single Market, multimodal logistics connected to the Marco Polo Programme, and safety frameworks aligned with standards from the International Civil Aviation Organization and IMO conventions.

Committees' Procedures and Working Methods

Procedures follow Parliament's Rules of Procedure as practised by committees like the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the Committee on Budgets, including calendarised meetings, rapporteur assignments, and opinions from other committees such as the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety when environmental impacts arise. Working methods include stakeholder hearings invoking participants from the European Transport Workers' Federation, the European Shippers' Council, and NGOs like Transport & Environment, as well as delegation visits to infrastructures such as the Port of Rotterdam, Frankfurt Airport, and the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Technical briefings often involve European Commission directorates-general such as DG MOVE and consultancies with the European Court of Auditors on implementation.

Relations with EU Institutions and Stakeholders

The committee maintains formal interinstitutional relations through interparliamentary agreements with bodies like the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee, while coordinating with the European Investment Bank on transport financing. It engages with international partners via dialogues involving the World Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and bilateral accords with national ministries such as the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure and the French Ministry for the Ecological Transition. Private sector engagement includes meetings with corporations such as Airbus, Siemens Mobility, and MSC Cruises, and civil society inputs from groups like the European Cyclists' Federation and the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC).

Key Reports, Directives and Case Studies

Notable outputs include parliamentary reports and own-initiative reports influencing files such as the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Regulation, the Mobility Package (covering social rules for drivers and cabotage), revisions of the EU Aviation Safety Agency mandates, and the Railway Package series. Case studies debated in the committee include responses to incidents influencing legislation after events like the Costa Concordia disaster, infrastructure policy debates following the opening of the Øresund Bridge, and regulatory changes spurred by crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic affecting air transport and tourism demand. The committee’s scrutiny has shaped funding allocations under the Connecting Europe Facility and implementation monitoring reported by the European Court of Auditors.

Category:European Parliament committees Category:Transport in the European Union