As the summer recess is coming to an end, the European Commission will start preparing the EU legislative proposals that are still in the pipeline for 2020, according to the work program. As the second semester of the year will be a packed one, it is key to timely prepare input in order to have your priorities heard.
Following our blog on the EU initiatives that were open for feedback over summer, Dr2 Consultants now guides you through the main remaining proposals for 2020 in the transport, sustainability and digital sector. You can find these below in that particular order.
Transport up-to-speed with the new decade
Emerging developments such as the decarbonization of transport, digitalization and the global COVID-19 pandemic have stressed the need to review the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Regulation. The TEN-T policy aims to develop and implement a Europe-wide infrastructure network linking ports, highways, airports and railways. With the upcoming revision of this EU legislation, the European Commission aims to bring TEN-T up-to-speed with the ongoing green and digital transitions. The Commission is expected to put renewed emphasis on the strengthening of urban nodes, the update of infrastructure requirements, and the alignment of the TEN-T policy with the EU’s environmental policies.
The Commission is currently finalizing the evaluation of the TEN-T Regulation. The different modes of transport are still invited to contribute to dedicated case studies in the course of September. The European Parliament is currently preparing an own-initiative report on the TEN-T policy. The Transport & Tourism committee will discuss the draft report on 3 September. The Commission is expected to publish a roadmap and a public consultation later this year. A legislative proposal is foreseen for summer 2021.
In addition to the TEN-T, the Commission is expected to publish the EU’s Strategy on Sustainable and Smart Mobility. With this strategy, the Commission intends to adopt a comprehensive strategy to reduce transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2050, and to ensure the transport sector is fit for a clean, digital and modern economy. A public consultation has been opened in the summer and is open for feedback until 23 September.
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Green energy and sustainable production
The energy-focused sibling of TEN-T will also be subject to a revision this year. The Trans-European Energy Network (TEN-E) Regulation aims to link European electricity, gas and oil infrastructure into a single network, consisting of nine corridors. TEN-E focus areas are smart grids, electric highways and the cross-border carbon dioxide network. This EU legislation is considered to be instrumental to realize the renewable energy objectives across the Union, for example in stimulating the hydrogen economy. The Commission will come up with a legislative proposal for a revised TEN-E regulation.
In addition, several EU legislative proposals will be initiated that will have an impact on producers. Proposals that tackle packaging waste, deforestation and industrial emissions are currently in the pipeline. Striving towards a circular economy, the Commission will promote waste reduction by reviewing the Packaging Directive. This may include improved design standards and increased recycled content in packaging materials. Possibly, packaging design standards will also change as a result of the Deforestation Regulation, which could include labelling requirements and verification schemes to increase the transparency of supply chains. Finally, the Industrial Emissions Directive may require additional sectors, such as farms and extractive industries, to implement available sustainable production techniques. Public consultations on the three initiatives are upcoming this year, and the respective legislative proposals are scheduled for 2021.
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Trustworthy AI and shared data spaces
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly affecting our society. Applications can bring about revolutionary changes in healthcare, governance, research, production and many other areas of our society. On the one hand, opportunities such as the precision of diagnosis, the prevention of car accidents and more efficient farming are promising. On the other hand, AI carries several potential risks, including racial, gender or other discriminatory biases, infringements of our privacy and reduced governance accountability.
Amidst global competition, the European Commission aims to distinguish the EU approach with its emphasis on European values. The EU strategy must embrace opportunities, while protecting citizens from potential harmful impacts. The European approach for trustworthy artificial intelligence will propose ethical requirements for AI, following the general strategy presented in the White Paper, stakeholder consultations and the draft guidelines presented by the High-Level Expert Group on AI in 2018. The initiative will be a review of the draft guidelines, on which stakeholders will be invited to deliver input through the upcoming roadmap.
Another aspect of the EU digital strategy is the regulation of the growing volume of data. Data can give valuable insights that drive innovation in areas such as medicine, mobility and policy-making. The creation of common European data spaces will allow citizens, businesses and organizations to access non-personalized data from different Member States, pooled across different key sectors. European privacy rules (GDPR) and competition law continue to be applied. Although the roadmap has already closed, input can be delivered through the upcoming public consultation. Adoption by the College of Commissioners is expected by the end of 2020.
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Next steps
Commission proposals on the EU legislative initiatives mentioned above are expected by the end 2020, or in the course of 2021. As the Commission is preparing for a proposal-packed final quarter, it is key to reach out early to have your interests set on the agenda.
Want to know more about the upcoming initiatives, COVID-19, or other files that might affect your business? Please contact Dr2 Consultants to see what we can do for you.
