Statement by Siim KALLAS (Estonia), EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, during his hearing at EP in Brussels.

Brussels

Committee on Transport and Tourism

hearing of Commissioners

KALLAS, Siim (EE, EC)

2010 Commissioners' hearings (T)

audition de Siim KALLAS 2010 (T)

Hearing of Siim KALLAS (Estonia), EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport: extracts

Arrival of Siim KALLAS, ambience shots before the hearing starts

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English: 'My starting point is that free movement is one of the greatest freedoms for citizens of Europe and modern transport makes a fundamental contribution to this freedom'

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English: 'We have to recognise that our people have a long list of concerns, safety and security as the most important ones; several recent events in aviation, road or even rail have reminded us of the fragility of the sector and have brought new fears'

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English: 'The need to de-carbonise transport, to reduce green house gas emissions will be the leading agenda item of the new Commission'

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English: 'We must accelerate the introduction of intelligent transport systems; there area number of key new systems where things are going too slowly in my view'

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English: 'Of course there is a debate on how big is the economic impact of cabotage, but basically I am in favour of open competition and in the long term I think it brings benefit to all industry'

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English (answering a question of MEP Cramer on raising the cost of the more pollutant transports in favour of the less pollutant ones): 'I would consider rational share of burden and some kind of equal mechanisms, but to raise cost of consumers, passengers and business for using transport is a very... at least is not popular at all, and due to my convictions as a liberal I would better work on reducing prizes and costs'

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English: 'I am definitely in favour of increasing investment to railways... We must discus further on how to combine the use of regional and structural funds with our priorities'

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English: 'It's very bad that some countries already use body scanners without any common agreed standards'

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English: 'I don't have information about some new guidelines concerning the state aid for ports; I must say that state aid is always a temporary measure and it cannot last for long. Our main objective is to create efficient and flexible sector that can compete efficiently on global markets...'

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English: 'About harmonising speed limits and alcohol limits I don't think that I will propose something very concrete in the future'

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English: (on alcohol limits) 'Culture is completely different in Belgium and in Estonia; I would be much more strict in Estonia than in Belgium for instance, don't quote me...' (laughs)

Siim KALLAS, EC Vice President designate in charge for Transport, in English, on the fact that there is a big need of investment (300 billion euros) for the completion of 20 of the Trans-European networks and that should imply private and public money: 'I have some ideas on how to take ahead this fruitful cooperation between public money and private investors'