Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council

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The Council for Transport, Telecommunications and Energy (English. Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council, TTE ) is a the formation Council of the European Union and is in this combination since 2002. Depending on the agenda, take the corresponding Ministers of the Member States of the European Union attend the meetings. It meets approximately every two months and takes its decisions either with a qualified majority or, in certain cases, unanimously and with greater or lesser involvement of the European Parliament .

With the integration of the Energy Council into the Council, which previously comprised the telecommunications and transport sub-areas, the entire infrastructure policy field of trans-European networks was united under one roof. The aim is to create modern and efficient systems that are established with consideration for economic, social and ecological interests. This is intended to optimize trans-European networking and the European internal market .

Content orientation

Transport activity

Now that the desired internal transport market has largely been achieved, the Council's work is particularly focused on improving mobility and the organization of the transport sector. It is necessary to harmonize rules, to align conditions for the admission of hauliers to traffic in other Member States and to increase traffic safety.

Telecommunication activity

The powers of the Council for Telecommunications extend to various topics of telecommunications policy as well as those of the information society. In addition to the creation and improvement of a Europe-wide network, the focus is particularly on opening up national markets and liberalizing the telecommunications sector, in order to ultimately eliminate or harmonize national legislation. Since 2005, the eEurope action plan has been actively promoting processes in an information society that is being established. From online-based learning ("eLearning"), government services ("eGovernment") or health services ("eHealth") are to be redesigned.

Energy activity

Even if energy policy is in principle the responsibility of the individual member states, there are some areas that are regulated jointly by the EU. These primarily concern the guarantee of a general energy supply that is environmentally friendly and (through transparent competition as possible) consumer-friendly. With the so-called Eco-Design Directive , the member states also agreed to gradually improve energy efficiency in various areas. For example, sustainable living should be promoted through the building directive, more efficient use of energy in everyday life through the gradual abolition of conventional lightbulbs or the clearer labeling of the efficiency of electrical and electronic objects. Another important point of the common energy policy concerns the use of nuclear energy. In this area in particular, the Council acts on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community . Diminishing energy resources, dependency on imports and, last but not least, global climate change speak in favor of comprehensive cooperation, the targeted promotion of innovations and a joint approach to current environmental and climate problems.

Preparation of legislation

Within the European Commission , the following commissioners prepare the legislative acts for the Council for Transport, Telecommunications and Energy. The political priorities themselves are set by the Council Presidency :

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