There are a number of EU legislative proposals before us for consideration today. The first item is COM (2011) 144, which is a White Paper road map to a single European transport area towards competitive and resource efficient transport systems. The lead Department is the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
The White Paper sets out a comprehensive strategy for transport in the EU area for the period up to 2050, focusing on the need to increase mobility, drive economic growth and thus employment while at the same time introduce measures to dramatically reduce oil dependency and cut carbon emissions. It outlines a vision and a strategy for a competitive and sustainable transport system. A list of anticipated initiatives to implement the strategy is provided at Appendix I of the Paper. There will be direct implications for Ireland in terms of the upgrading necessity to meet the targets. There are also considerable opportunities to Ireland in terms of competitiveness and accessibility to and from European markets that could result if many of the targets are realised. The reduction of 60% in transport emissions may have direct implications for the airline industry given Ireland's peripheral location. Setting demanding targets that rely heavily on new vehicle technologies can be supported by Ireland, albeit, recognising that Ireland does not have a vehicle manufacturing industry. Important freight and road transport proposals contained in the list of initiatives are developing the inter-modality of the freight chain and the need for technology improvements in freight transport vehicles to match those in passenger areas.
It is proposed that this proposal warrants further scrutiny. It is proposed to write to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport seeking its views on the White Paper with regard to specific challenges it anticipates for Ireland's airline industry in terms of the proposal to reduce transport emissions by 60% by 2050, whether it has had any consultations with relevant stakeholders or interested parties on the White Paper and the initial feedback from each stakeholder-party, and that this committee be kept informed of all developments as they arise. Is that agreed? Agreed.
COM (2011) 411 is a decision establishing the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union with regard to the interpretation of paragraph 5 of Article 17 of the Basel Convention at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, COP 10, on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal. The convention has acted as a control procedure for the export and import of hazardous waste between parties since 1992. Ireland signed the convention in 1990 and ratified it in 1994, the same date as the European Union. In 1995 the parties agreed to the amendment to ban hazardous waste exports for final disposal and recycling from parties that were members of the OECD and-or from the European Union or Liechtenstein. Both Ireland and the European Union have ratified the amendment which has not entered into force internationally as the required number of parties have not ratified it. There has been an ongoing dispute about the number of countries that must agree to it before it enters into force. A recommendation has been made that a figure 75% of parties present at the time of adoption or when the amendment was adopted be required to allow it enter into force. At the next convention meeting the European Union will support the adoption of the recommendation-decision, given its ratification of the amendment, and the proposal supports this stance. There are no specific implications for Ireland. However, there are matters arising.
