To set the broader course and narrative for the new mandate, four important strategic documents have set the framework for the debate. Find below a short overview together with an analysis of the relevance for BT4E.
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- 2. Council Strategic Agenda 2024-2029
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1. Letta Report
Who? The EU Council and the Commission gave Enrico Letta, the former Italian prime minister, a mandate to write an independent High-Level report on his vision for the future of the Single Market. The report then served as an inspiration to the Strategic Agenda of the Council (discussed in this report).
When? The Report titled “Much More than a Market” was published April 2024.
What? The report is a 147-page document with 6 sub-categories. The sub headline is titled “speed, security, solidarity – empowering the single market to deliver a sustainable future and prosperity for all EU citizens”.
General overview:
Find below some key takeaways:
- Letta wants to implement a “fifth freedom” focused on research, innovation, and education to strengthen the Single Market’s internal dynamics and global competitiveness.
- Letta wants to reduce regulatory burdens, particularly for SMEs.
- Letta wants to enhance the EU’s economic security through more effective mobilisation of both private and public resources (for example reinforcing the Capital Markets Union).
- Letta wants to tailor strategies to balance the deepening of internal market integration with the necessity of reinforcing external economic relationships (re-evaluate trade policies, focusing on fostering strategic partnerships etc).
- He even cites in his introduction ‘During this journey, I also experienced firsthand the most glaring paradox of EU infrastructure: the impossibility of travelling by high-speed train between European capitals. In a continent as small and densely populated as ours, which has also embarked on the path of environmental sustainability, it would have been natural to travel by train, the quintessential green mode of transportation. However, this is currently impossible and seems unlikely to change in the near future, as concrete operational plans remain merely theoretical.’ He makes a particular mention of the need to correct this paradox.
BT4E:
Of particular interest to BT4E is that one sub-sub section is titled “the single market as a catalyst for seamless and sustainable transportation in the EU”. He argues that the strategic development of the transport sector is “indispensable for the (…) transition towards a green economy” (p. 83). This can only happen through real integration on the physical, legal, administrative and technical levels. Although much of the ideas are not new, transport enthusiasts are hoping that the report will breathe new life into “tired topics”. Find below some key policy measures Letta advocates for, of interest to BT4E:
- TEN-T funding should be increased, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) needs to be redesigned.
- Measures are needed to complete the Single European Railway area through EU-wide integrated multimodal information, ticketing, and payment services framework, and a comprehensive pan-European high-speed rail (HSR) network. The establishment of a comprehensive, pan-European high-speed rail (HSR) network, seamlessly linking all EU capitals and major urban centres, would represent an unparalleled opportunity to revolutionise European travel and catalyse EU integration
- Improving the role of stakeholders by a ”once only approach” to avoid uneccesary multiple consultations.
- Digitalisation of social security coordination for instance fully implementing EESSI (electronic exchange of social security information) and ESSPASS (European Social Security Pass).
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- Also calls for the enhancement of the European Labour Authority (ELA)
2. Council Strategic Agenda 2024-2029
Who? Every five years, EU leaders agree on the EU’s political priorities for the future.
When? Published in June.
What? An eight-page document with three subtitles – a free and democratic Europe, a strong and secure Europe, a prosperous and competitive Europe.
General Overview:
The Strategic Agenda for this mandate can be compared to the one adopted in 2019, which had one of its four subtitles as "building a climate-neutral, green, fair, and social future." This year's agenda shifts focus, emphasising more general directives such as "strengthening resilience, preparedness, crisis prevention, and response capacities," rather than specifically concentrating on climate change preparedness. Yet, the agenda also stresses the commitment made to climate-neutrality, although after the notion to strengthen competitiveness.
BT4E:
Transport is mentioned one time in the document, in the context of “making a success of the green and digital transitions”. Here, the Agenda states “we will invest in ample cross-border infrastructure for energy, water, transport and communications” (p. 8).
3. Commission Guidelines
Who? The document is Ursula von der Leyen’s political guidelines for the next European Commission.
When? July 2024.
What? A 31-page document with concrete pledges under the title “Europe’s Choice”.
General Overview:
The document clearly shows a re-commitment to ambitious climate and environment goals, albeit framed in terms of economic competitiveness. For instance, claiming Europe is in a global race “that will dictate who will be the first to climate neutrality and first to develop the technologies that will shape the global economy for decades to come”. Some highlights:
- A ‘Clean Industrial Deal' in the first 100 days of the mandate to support the decarbonisation and industrialisation of the economy. The deal will be accompanied by an 'Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act' to channel investment in infrastructure and industry.
- Enshrining the 90% emissions-reduction target for 2040 in the Climate Law.
- Competitiveness fund to be proposed as part of negotiations on the EU’s next budget, which will run from 2028 to 2035.
BT4E:
- Recognises need for modal shift to meet climate objectives, and acknowledges in particular ‘cross-border train travel is still too difficult for many citizens’. Therefore proposes a Single Digital Booking and Ticketing Regulation to “ensure that Europeans can buy one single ticket on one single platform and get passengers’ rights for the whole trip (p. 9).
- The guidelines propose several initiatives aimed to reduce the administrative burden, in particular for SMEs (p. 7):
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- Each Commissioner will be tasked with focusing on reducing administrative burdens and simplifying implementation, for instance by holding regular dialogues on implementation with stakeholders and preparing an annual progress report in front of the European Council and European Parliament.
- New Vice President for Implementation and Simplification that will stress-test the entire EU acquit.
- Proposals to simplify, consolidate and codify legislation.
4. Draghi Report
Who? Ursula von der Leyen commissioned special adviser to the President of the Commission and former ECB president, Mario Draghi, to write a report on the future of European competitiveness.
When? Postponed, was scheduled in June.
What? Formed of 10 macro areas focusing on three common threads: enabling European industries to scale up, delivering public goods, and securing supply of essential resources.