June

• 11.06.2007
  First European Energy Strategy for Transport adopted. EU transport ministers, at a meeting chaired by the German Council President, Wolfgang Tiefensee, today unanimously adopted the Council Conclusions on a “European Energy Strategy for Transport”. They had discussed climate change, energy and transport for the first time at the March Council meeting, under the German Presidency, and laid the groundwork for today’s decision. “These conclusions are the first ever road map for a European energy strategy for transport. It clearly identifies where we intend to establish our priorities in the near future."
• 08.06.2007
  Charting a new course for Galileo. The EU Transport Council, chaired by the German Council President, Wolfgang Tiefensee, today took a unanimous decision on the way forward for Galileo, following the proposals by the Presidency. “In doing so, we are giving Galileo a new direction on its way to implementation. With Galileo as a pillar of European space policy, we are underscoring Europe’s efforts in the fields of space travel, advanced technology and innovation and ensuring European independence in this cutting-edge field”, said Mr Tiefensee in Luxembourg today. He said that Ministers agreed that persevering with the current PPP organization would mean greater financial burdens for the public sector and further delays.
• 08.06.2007
  Member States agree on including aviation in emissions trading. In Luxembourg today, the EU Transport Council, chaired by the German Council President, Wolfgang Tiefensee, adopted conclusions on the inclusion of aviation in emissions trading. This means that Europe will have a common position at the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which will be held in Montreal in September. Speaking in Luxembourg, the Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee, said: “Every mode of transport, including the air mode, has to make its contribution to tackling climate change."
• 07.06.2007
  Postal Directive makes good progress. Concerning the results of today’s talks on the proposed amended Postal Directive by the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council in Luxembourg, Michael Glos, Federal Minister of Economics and Technology said: “Clear progress is discernable on the path towards the liberalisation of the European postal services. No Member State questions liberalisation as such. The train is moving towards liberalisation. However, the Member States have different ideas about how fast it should move.”
• 07.06.2007
  German Minister of Economics and Technology Michael Glos: "We reached our goal in record time - excessive roaming prices are past history!". In today's Telecommunication Council meeting in Luxembourg the Member States of the European Union gave the "green light" to the Roaming Regulation, thus paving the way for lowering the costs of cell phone calls outside the EU . German Minister of Economics and Technology Michael Glos: "The German Council Presidency set itself the ambitious goal of having this project adopted after a single reading in the first half of 2007. With today's confirmation by the Council of Ministers we have now reached our goal in record time: excessive roaming prices are past history!" After today's confirmation by the Telecommunication Ministers, the provision can already become effective at the end of June. Federal Minister Glos: "I am delighted that, after intensive and difficult negotiations, the solid and acceptable compromise was given the stamp of approval by the Ministers, and consumers will already be able to benefit from the Regulation this summer."
• 05.06.2007
  Tiefensee: Electronic Systems improve road safety and help prevent congestion. On behalf of the Federal Government, Wolfgang Tiefensee ,the Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the rescue system eCall. With this, Germany is supporting a Europe-wide introduction of this electronic emergency call system, which is designed to speed up rescue operations. Sometimes it can take a long time for the rescue services to reach the site of an accident, especially at night or in remote areas. With eCall, a signal is transmitted automatically when an air bag is released, giving the exact position of the accident to the emergency response centre. Satellites support the rescue services in locating the crashed vehicle.

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May

• 03.05.2007
  Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee: Shaping maritime policy to address the challenges of climate change. Within the framework of the German EU Council Presidency, the Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee, today opened the European Conference on "The Future Maritime Policy of the EU: A European Vision for Oceans and Seas" in Bremen and presented a programme for more environmental protection and safety in the maritime transport sector. "Shipping is increasingly becoming an economic factor for both Germany and the entire European Union. 90 percent of the EU's foreign trade and over 40 percent of intra-Community trade goes by sea. We have to make our transport - be it surface, waterborne or air transport - as environmentally acceptable as possible. And this also applies to maritime transport", said Mr Tiefensee in Bremen.

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April

• 20.04.2007
  EU/G8 Conference on “Energy Efficiency – Shaping Tomorrow’s World”. In Berlin today, the Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee, and the Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, Michael Glos, opened the EU/G8 Conference on “Energy Efficiency – Shaping Tomorrow’s World” within the framework of the German EU Council Presidency. The two-day conference is focusing on strategic issues relating to the greater promotion of energy efficiency and energy conservation and on energy efficiency issues in the electricity, buildings and transport sectors.

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March

• 22.03.2007
  Tiefensee: Galileo is in a crisis. “Galileo has not yet overcome its difficulties. It is true that the industry has made some moves in the right direction. The concession contract has been concluded. But the consortium has yet to resolve elementary issues. Thus, for instance, decisions within the consortium can only be taken by unanimity. But we need a consortium company that is capable of negotiating and taking decisions, so that the blockades are not continued. That is why Galileo is still in a crisis”, said the Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee, at today’s EU Transport Council in Brussels.
• 22.03.2007
  Tiefensee: Air services agreement between the EU and Malaysia signed. Air services between the European Community and Malaysia have been placed on a sound legal basis by means of an agreement. The document was signed under the auspices of the German EU Council Presidency by the Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee, the EU Transport Commissioner, Jacques Barrot, and the Malaysian Minister of Transport, Sri Chan Koy Choy.
• 22.03.2007
  Tiefensee: The air services agreement with the USA is a first step towards a new partnership. The Council of EU Transport Ministers, chaired by the German EU Council President, Wolfgang Tiefensee, today reached agreement in Brussels on Open Skies. “The EU-US air services agreement is, in many points, a major step towards a new transatlantic partnership. Air services between the EU and the USA have been placed on a modern and reliable set of regulations, which involves benefits for all European carriers and consumers. The agreement as a whole will enter into force on 30 March 2008. Europe would have liked an agreement that went even further. Two things are crucial for us: first, we have legal certainty, and second, the door is open for further negotiations on an opening-up of the market in the USA”, said Mr Tiefensee in Brussels today.
• 22.03.2007
  Tiefensee: Administrative arrangement on HGV, bus and coach checks in Europe. In the future, there will be even closer coordination between EU countries when deciding how to check heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches on their roads. Following an invitation by the EU Council President – the Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee, – ministers from twelve Member States today signed an administrative arrangement on Euro-Contrôle-Route (ECR). With Romania and Bulgaria signing the agreement, the number of states participating in ECR has grown.
• 22.03.2007
  Tiefensee: Emissions trading in aviation has to be progressed. The EU Transport Council, meeting under the German Council Presidency in Brussels, today addressed the issue of emissions trading in aviation. The Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee, emphasized: “Since international aviation is currently exempt from the agreements of the Kyoto Protocol on the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases, other ways of limiting greenhouse gas emissions from aviation have to be sought.
• 15.03.2007
  European Telecommunication Ministers want an EU Regulation on Roaming Charges by the End of the Year. Surprisingly high bills for cell phone roaming should be made a thing of the past - reason enough for the telecommunication ministers of the EU's Member States to discuss the Commission's initiative for a Roaming Regulation at their Informal Meeting today on the sidelines of the CeBIT Fair in Hanover. The participants see regulation at the European level as necessary and urgent since rates for roaming services significantly exceed the costs and are thus a burden for European citizens.
• 15.03.2007
  Mobile Television. The telecommunication ministers of the EU informed themselves today on the mobile use of television services - Mobile TV - during their Informal Meeting at the sidelines of the CeBIT Fair in Hanover. Market analyses point to the a sector that will be able to grow to some 100 million subscribers throughout Europe by 2010. In the words of German Minister of Economics and Technology Michael Glos, "This dynamic trend offers a unique opportunity for the European ICT branch. It is one more important element of the Lisbon Strategy and, owing to its innovative potential, will make a sustained contribution for more growth and employment." The European Commission plans to issue a Communication next July, that will more precisely define the market opportunities.
• 14.03.2007
  Glos sees Mobile TV as new market and growth engine. At the CeBIT, which will be officially opened by German Chancellor Angela Merkel today, visitors can catch a glimpse of the technological future. A great deal of what is presented at the Show will be an indispensable part of our lives in just a few years. This might well include mobile TV, by which TV programming can be broadcast to cell phones. Mobile TV could generate a new market estimated to be worth sales in the amount of the high millions.
• 14.03.2007
  Federal Minister Glos calls for the speedy reduction of charges for cell-phone use outside the country. For years now the rates for so-called roaming, wireless cell phone connections to foreign networks, have clearly been excessive. Urgently needed is therefore a Europe-wide approach providing sustained relief for individuals. At the moment, a corresponding Draft Regulation is being discussed at the European level.

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January

• 24.01.2007
  Minister Tiefensee: Brussels gives the green light to HGV innovation programme. Today, the European Commission has given the green light to an innovation programme for promoting the purchase of low-emission heavy goods vehicles (HGV).
• 11.01.2007
  Oil supply: The EU agrees on a joint action to tackle disruptions. The Commission and EU Presidency are taking joint action to press Russia and Belarus to resolve completely the disputes concerning the Druzhba pipeline. At the same time, the EU convened its Oil Supply Group to coordinate the response of its Members States to the disruption of oil supplies. "We welcome the information that oil flows have resumed as signs of progress but continue calling on both sides to reach an immediate and complete resolution of all outstanding issues and guarantee reliability of future deliveries through the pipeline" declared Commissioner Piebalgs, the German Secretary of State in the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, Joachim Wuermeling and the IEA’s Executive Director, Claude Mandil at a common press conference following the meeting.
• 11.01.2007
  Minister Michael Glos on the resumption of oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline. Regarding the resumption of oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline, Mr. Michael Glos, Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, said: “I am relieved that the Russian and Belarusian agencies are once again fulfilling their delivery and transit commitments. It is my expectation that disputes between supplier and transit countries will not in future have a detrimental effect on European customers, who need to be able to rely on their long-term supply contracts. Also, in future we will expect early consultations if any difficulties should arise again.
• 10.01.2007
  Minister Glos welcomes EU Commission’s energy package. The European Commission adopted a comprehensive energy package and proposals on climate protection today. At the heart of the energy package is a Strategic EU Energy Review containing proposals for an energy policy for Europe. Further to this, the energy package contains several communications, in particular on the internal market for electricity and gas, on renewable energy, on fossil fuels and on nuclear power.
• 08.01.2007
  German Economics Minister Glos on the closure of the Druzhba pipeline. Michael Glos, Federal Minister of Economics and Technology and Chairman of the EU Council of Ministers: "I view the closure of the important Druzhba Pipeline with concern. I expect supplies through the pipeline to be fully resumed as quickly as possible. I welcome the convening of the Oil Supply Group by EU Commissioner Piebalgs. The German Presidency of the European Council will work vigorously to ensure that the restriction on the oil deliveries does not cause bottlenecks in the supply of European companies and consumers. I call on the Russian and Belarusian agencies to fulfil their delivery and transit commitments..."

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