Debate: Impact of Russian illegal war of aggression against Ukraine on the EU transport and tourism sectors
Date: TUESDAY, 3 MAY 2022
Speaker: Ylva Johansson
Language: EN

Through its unprovoked and unjustified military actions, Russia is grossly violating international law and undermining European and global security and stability. The loss of life and human suffering is difficult to comprehend. The Commission condemns this aggression in the strongest possible terms. The transport sector and the individuals that keep it running are among the many victims of this needless violence. Ukraine’s airports are barely functioning. Its ports are blocked, impeding the delivery of food and grain in particular. And railway lines continue to be the targets of attack. Commercial maritime vessels have also been bombed. At the same time, we can be proud of the way that our EU transport sector has responded to the crisis, carrying supplies to Ukraine while ferrying Ukrainians to safety, often for free. Transport operators and workers have shown us the meaning of the word solidarity. Commissioner Vălean herself witnessed the great efforts of our transport community during her visit to the Polish Ukrainian border on 11 March. The Commission has fully supported these actions. We have applied maximum flexibility to road transport legislation, lifting toll obligations and relaxing driving- and rest—time rules. We have also issued guidelines on simplifying border checks for individuals such as transport workers, if the conditions allow. We are also recommending special lanes for lorries and we will need to ask the road transport sector to help Ukraine again, along with the rail and inland waterways sectors. With most of Ukraine’s sea ports out of bounds, we need to find other ways for Ukraine to export its goods into the EU. We are working in close collaboration with the Ukraine Support Group and Member States to identify how best to redirect freight transport, and we have already asked the Council for a mandate to negotiate an agreement with Ukraine and Moldova on the transport of goods by road. This is a first step and we are confident that we will be able to start negotiations with both partners quickly. The agreement will also address EU recognition of driving licences and professional certificates issued in Ukraine. The Commission calls on the European Parliament to give its consent swiftly. We need the agreements to be in place within weeks, for our friends in Ukraine and for food security elsewhere. When considering the many impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the people of Ukraine must always be first and foremost in our minds, as well as the very serious effect on the transport sector. Rising fuel costs are a very visible and direct impact on most transport modes and their users. But let us not forget: for the services that previously crossed Ukraine, the Black Sea, Russia, Belarus, rerouting also pushes costs upwards, and we are also seeing disruptions in our supply chains, including for food. It is clear that the war is having an impact, but for the time being, it’s difficult to quantify that impact. The Commission is closely monitoring the situation for transport and tourism and is working around the clock to mitigate the impacts. Asking slot coordinators to provide air carriers with sufficient flexibility to re-time their slots for routes affected by the war is just one example. The tourism ecosystem has been among the most impacted by COVID and now faces further uncertainties due to the Russian aggression on Ukraine. While we have rather reassuring evidence for the upcoming summer seasons showing an overall strong demand for travel within the EU, you rightly mention in your resolution that Member States bordering Ukraine are facing particular difficulties due to the perceived risk of the military activities expanding. Nevertheless, the governments and businesses of these countries have shown particularly strong solidarity with Ukraine by hosting Ukrainian refugees and facilitating their employment and integration. In this context, the Commission has provided a number of measures to urgently redirect EU funds in support of these efforts to help Ukrainian refugees and to provide relief for businesses due to rising energy costs, in particular the temporary state aid crisis framework in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ‘Cohesion’s Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE), allowing flexible and speedy relocation of available funding to such emergency support. Hotels and other accommodations can benefit from this support. The Commission is committed to continue its support to the EU tourist ecosystem by addressing the lasting impacts of the pandemic and of the Russian war, as well as facilitating recovery and transformation of the sector towards increased sustainability and resilience to the future shocks through the implementation of the transition pathway for tourism. While our transport and tourism sectors are certainly feeling the effects of Russian aggression, the impact is even greater for Russia. International Russian civil aviation connections have been drastically reduced. And closer to home, there are now no flights operated over EU territory by Russian or Belarusian registered aircraft. We are also working on securing the same conditions for aircraft registered in third countries, but under Russian ownership. In road transport we are watching closely to ensure that the current situation is being observed by all parties. The same applies to maritime transport for both access to EU ports and export restrictions on certain vessels and marine equipment. In rail transport Russian railways have been added to the list of legal entities and bodies subject to financial restrictions. And if the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate, I can assure you that the Commission will not hesitate to introduce additional measures. So let me conclude again by thanking you very much for this opportunity to address you on this crucial issue. I very much look forward to your comments and questions.