TransMin Bode argued in Brussels that current form of Mobility Packages 1 is unacceptable for Romania

Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Lucian Bode argued in Brussels that the current form of the Mobility Package 1 is unacceptable for Romania and pointed out that its impact in the transport sector is worrying, given the problem of returning the vehicle creates additional costs and could impede the economic development of the transport operators. 

According to a press release of the relevant Ministry sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday, Lucian Bode participated in Brussels, between 9 and 10 December, in a series of meetings with the European Commissioners for transport, internal market, cohesion and reforms, competition and regional development, with the Vice President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, but also with the President of the TRAN Committee of the European Parliament. 

During the meeting with Commissioner for Mobility and Transport Adina Valean, Minister Lucian Bode stressed the importance given by the current leadership of the ministry to infrastructure projects financed by CEF, as well as the measures taken to implement them. Also, during the discussions with Director General of DG Move Henrik Hololei, aspects related to projects such as the bridge in Gradistea and the possibility of proposing projects on inland waterways or on ITS / ERTMS (Intelligent transportation system/ European rail traffic management system) were addressed. 

Regarding the Mobility Package 1, Minister Lucian Bode reiterated that the impact in the transport sector is worrying. The Romanian Minister endorsed the rights of the Romanian carriers so that they would not be disadvantaged by these regulations. At the same time, Minister Lucian Bode stressed that the problem of the return of the vehicle creates additional costs and could impede the economic development of the transport operators. 

The series of meetings continued with Chair of the TRAN Committee of the European Parliament Karima Delli. During this meeting, the two officials tackled issues related to major transport projects, future cooperation and the effects that can be generated by the adoption of the Mobility Package 1, whose current form is unacceptable for Romania. 

Discussions with European officials continued with the meeting carried out with Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform Elisa Ferreira. The meeting emphasized the importance of ensuring the implementation of projects financed by cohesion policy in order to complete the European transport corridors. 

Minister Lucian Bode specified that he would focus on eliminating blockages in the implementation of all projects and speeding-up absorption, and the Commissioner showed her willingness to support the Romanian authorities' efforts in accelerating the implementation, stressing the importance of the absorption rate to ensure an adequate level of funding for the cohesion policy. In this regard, Elisa Ferreira specified that the Sibiu-Pitesti highway and the Bacau detour variant will be approved in the coming months, currently being in inter-service consultation at the Commission level. 

At the meeting with Margrethe Vestager, the Vice-President of the European Commission, she was pleased with the new transparent approach that Minister Lucian Bode has regarding state aid files. In this regard, the European official stressed that the way of working approached by the Romanian side is exactly the one that the representatives of the Commission want and, only this way, results can be obtained regarding the TAROM and CFR Marfa files, strategic companies of the ministry. 

At the end of each meeting, Minister Lucian Bode extended the European officials an invitation for the next meetings to take place in Romania, an occasion that will allow visits to the investment objectives achieved with the help of community funds. Commissioners Breton and Ferreira stated that, in the first semester of 2020, they would be present in Bucharest.