Road safety is a national priority for Cyprus, Minister for Transport, Communications and Works, Alexis Vafeades said on Thursday, during the EU Council of Transport Ministers in Brussels, while also calling for better coordination between member states for the implementation of road safety measures.

According to a statement by the Transport Ministry, Vafeades, in his intervention, welcomed the proposed Directive on driving disqualifications for very serious road traffic offences “and stressed that road safety is a national priority for Cyprus”. He called for better coordination between member states on the implementation of road safety measures, it said.

Cyprus, along with Greece, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Malta, Portugal, Romania and Bulgaria jointly presented in the Council a call for action to ensure appropriate monitoring of the extension of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) on maritime transport.

Vafeades referred to the need for the Commission to promptly take the necessary actions - in close cooperation with the member states - for the prevention of and to address the consequences of the implementation of this legislation as regards European ports and the competitiveness of European shipping.

The general approaches on the Regulation on the enforcement of passenger rights in the Union and on the Regulation on passenger rights in the context of multimodal travel were also adopted by the Council.

Vafeades, “fully supported the efforts to complement the existing standards for the protection of passengers travelling by all means of transport”, the Ministry said.

He noted, it adds, that it was important to ensure that passengers of all modes of transport benefit from a comparable level of protection. He added that the final text strikes the necessary balance between passenger protection and applicability.

Vafeades also supported the revision of the regulation on air passenger rights, it said.

“He stressed that the primary objective should be to maintain a high level of consumer protection while promoting an aviation sector that is resilient, competitive and aligned with the needs of modern air travel, which in turn improves connectivity across the EU”, it adds.

On the joint initiative by Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Romania and Slovakia for a renewed European automotive policy balancing competitiveness and climate ambition, Vafeades expressed the desire for a balanced approach that would ensure environmental sustainability, promoting economic growth while protecting jobs across the EU.

According to the announcement, he supported the revision of the current legislative framework, which should aim at strengthening the automotive industry, implementing the principle of technological neutrality, and working with industry stakeholders to ensure Europe’s leadership in clean mobility and industrial innovation.