1. (SBU) SUMMARY. ELIMINATING NATIONAL BARRIERS AND CUTTING
THROUGH BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE TO ALLOW THE FREE MOVEMENT OF
GOODS AND PEOPLE WITHIN THE EU IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR ITALY'S
TRANSPORTATION MINISTRY DURING THE UPCOMING EU PRESIDENCY.
THE TRANSPORTATION MINISTER'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR TOLD US IN A
RECENT MEETING THAT OTHER PRIORITIES INCLUDE IMPROVING
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR,
REDESIGNING THE TOLL SYSTEM AND ENSURING THE SAFE TRANSPORT
OF GOODS AND PEOPLE.



2. (U) IN PREPARATION FOR THE ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY, EACH
MINISTRY HAS DRAWN UP ITS TOP PRIORITIES. ALTHOUGH THE PRIME
MINISTER HAS YET TO GIVE HIS IMPRIMATUR TO THE OFFICIAL
PROGRAM, MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE TRANSPORTATION MINISTRY'S
PRIORITIES ARE EXPECTED TO BE APPROVED. END SUMMARY.



3. (SBU) DURING A RECENT MEETING WITH DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR
EMILIO MARAINI, WE WERE PRESENTED WITH THE MINISTRY OF
TRANSPORTATION'S SIX PROPOSED PRIORITIES FOR ITALY'S EU
PRESIDENCY.

FREE MOVEMENT OF GOODS AND PEOPLE WITHIN THE EU


--------------------------

--



4. (SBU) MARAINI BEGAN BY DESCRIBING THE ITALIAN EU
PRESIDENCY'S PLANS TO STRENGTHEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRANS-EUROPEAN TRANSPORT NETWORK (TEN-T)
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 02193 01 OF 02 161421Z
IN TERMS OF QUALITY, SUSTAINABILITY, SAFETY AND BALANCE AMONG
THE DIFFERENT MODES OF TRANSPORT TO ENSURE THE FREE MOVEMENT
OF GOODS AND PEOPLE. ACCORDING TO MARAINI, INSUFFICIENT
INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUREAUCRATIC DELAYS LIMIT THE FREE
MOVEMENT OF GOODS, A CORE PRINCIPLE OF THE TREATY OF ROME.
HE POINTED TO THE GRIDLOCK OF TRANSPORTATION THROUGH THE ALPS
AS A TOP CONCERN FOR ITALY. HE ALSO CRITICIZED AUSTRIA'S USE
OF "ECO-POINTS," USED TO CONTROL FREIGHT TRAFFIC EMISSIONS.
IN MARAINI'S VIEW, "ECO-POINTS" LIMIT THE FREE TRANSIT OF
GOODS AND ARE NOT THE BEST OPTION EVEN FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL
PERSPECTIVE. THE GOI WOULD PREFER AN EU WIDE SYSTEM OF
LIMITATIONS OR A TOTAL BAN ON TRUCKS WITH THE MOST HIGHLY
POLLUTING EMISSIONS.



5. (SBU) ENLARGEMENT, MARAINI ARGUED, WOULD ALSO SHIFT THE
EU'S "CENTER OF GRAVITY." THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IS WORKING
WITH A TASK FORCE TO REDESIGN THE TRANS-EUROPEAN NETWORK.
THE GOI IS WORRIED, HE ADMITTED, THAT THERE MAY BE A TENDENCY
TO FAVOR NEW EAST-WEST CONNECTIONS OVER NORTH-SOUTH
CONNECTIONS.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSPORT


--------------------------





6. (SBU) MARAINI ASSERTED THAT THE GOI SUPPORTS AN INCREASED
USE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, SUCH
AS RAILWAYS AND SHIPS. DURING ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY, SPECIAL
ATTENTION WILL BE GIVEN TO THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THE MARCO POLO
PROJECT, SEA MOTORWAYS AND THE SECOND RAILWAY PACKAGE. NOTE:
THE MARCO POLO PROJECT IS A COMMISSION INITIATIVE TO FUND
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE OF THE FREIGHT
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 02193 01 OF 02 161421Z
TRANSPORT SYSTEM. ITS GOAL IS TO REDUCE ROAD CONGESTION AND
SHIFT FREIGHT TRANSPORT FROM ROAD TO SHORT SEA SHIPPING, RAIL
AND INLAND WATERWAY TRANSPORT. END NOTE.

REDESIGNING THE ROAD TOLL SYSTEMS


--------------------------





7. (SBU) UPGRADING THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, POINTED OUT
MARAINI, WILL REQUIRE INCREASED FUNDING. TO SUPPORT
FINANCING DECISIONS, MARAINI STATED THAT REVISING THE
"EURO-VIGNETTE" DIRECTIVE (ON ROAD TARIFF INFRASTRUCTURE -
I.E. THE TOLL SYSTEM) TO INCLUDE EXTERNAL COSTS (E.G.
POLLUTION, ACCIDENTS, ETC.) IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE GOI.
ITALY LOOKS FORWARD TO REACHING, AT A MINIMUM, A POLITICAL
AGREEMENT WITHIN THE COUNCIL DURING ITALY'S PRESIDENCY.
HOWEVER, MARAINI ADMITTED THAT SPAIN'S RELUCTANCE TO CHANGE
THIS DIRECTIVE COULD HINDER A POLITICAL AGREEMENT.



8. (SBU) AS EACH MEMBER STATE HAS A UNIQUE TOLL SYSTEM, THE
ITALIANS, DURING THEIR PRESIDENCY, WOULD LIKE TO COME TO AN
AGREEMENT ON THE INTEROPERABILITY OF TOLL SYSTEMS. MARAINI
DIVULGED THAT AN INTEROPERATIVE TELEPASS SYSTEM BASED ON
GALILEO IS A FUTURE GOAL.

LIBERALIZING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9731

PAGE 01 ROME 02193 02 OF 02 161421Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CEA-01 CG-00
CIAE-00 COME-00 CTME-00 INL-00 DODE-00 ITCE-00 DOTE-00
SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EXME-00 E-00 FAAE-00 UTED-00
FMC-01 VC-00 FRB-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 ITC-01
VCE-00 M-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OMB-01
DHS-00 OPIC-01 ACE-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00
TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 DSCC-00 G-00 SAS-00
/006W


--------------------------

6644AD 161454Z /38
R 161401Z MAY 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9976
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL FLORENCE
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMCONSUL NAPLES
USEU BRUSSELS 3235
DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 002193

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELTN EAIR EWWT EAIR EWWT IT EUN ITELTN EUN
SUBJECT: ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY: TRANSPORT MINISTRY
PRIORITIES
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ROME 02193 02 OF 02 161421Z



--------------------------





9. (SBU) MARAINI STRESSED THAT LIBERALIZING EUROPE'S
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS (RAILWAYS, AIR AND HARBOR SERVICES)
AND PROMOTING FREE ACCESS TO THE TRANSPORTATION MARKET BY NEW
MARKET PARTICIPANTS ARE SOME OF THE KEY GOALS OF THE EU'S
TRANSPORT POLICY, OBJECTIVES THAT THE GOI SUPPORTS. WHILE
RECOGNIZING THE DIFFICULTIES INHERENT IN LIBERALIZING RAILWAY
SYSTEMS (E.G. EACH COUNTRY HAS ITS OWN SYSTEM AND MOST TRADE
UNIONS OPPOSE RAILWAY PRIVATIZATION), HE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE
THAT LIBERALIZING AIR TRANSPORT SHOULD NOT BE AS DIFFICULT
SINCE STATE-OWNED CARRIERS ARE DECREASING IN NUMBER.

TRANSPORTATION SAFETY


--------------------------





10. (U) TRANSPORTATION SAFETY IS A HIGH GOI PRIORITY,
EMPHASIZED MARAINI. THE GOI IS ESPECIALLY CONCERNED ABOUT
ACCIDENTS ON ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. ITALY AVERAGES 8,000 -
9,000 ROAD FATALITIES A YEAR, WHILE IN OTHER COUNTRIES, SUCH
AS FRANCE AND SPAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE EVEN HIGHER. THUS
THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY WILL SUPPORT PROPOSALS INITIATED
DURING THE GREEK PRESIDENCY THAT INCLUDE TUNNEL SAFETY AND
ROAD TRANSPORT CONTROLS AND SANCTIONS.



11. (U) SINCE THE SINKING OF THE OIL-TANKER PRESTIGE,
MARITIME SAFETY HAS BECOME A GREATER CONCERN TO THE GOI.
DURING ITS PRESIDENCY, THE GOI WILL SPEED UP NAVIGATION
SAFETY MEASURES THAT FOCUS ON THE SEA TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS
AND POLLUTING GOODS AND MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION.
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 02193 02 OF 02 161421Z
MARAINI AFFIRMED THAT THE GOI IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN
PHASING OUT SINGLE-HULL OIL TANKERS MORE QUICKLY AND TO
IDENTIFY PORTS OF REFUGE IN EACH MEMBER STATE.



12. (U) IN RESPONSE TO THE PROLIFERATION OF DIFFERENT SAFETY
REQUIREMENTS FOR RAILROAD SYSTEMS ACROSS MEMBER STATES, THE
GOI WOULD LIKE TO ESTABLISH COMMON SAFETY STANDARDS.
GOVERNMENTS WOULD STILL RETAIN THE OPTION OF ADOPTING HIGHER
STANDARDS, AS LONG AS THEY WERE IMPOSED IN A
NON-DISCRIMINATORY MANNER.



13. (U) THE GOI WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DURING THE SECOND READING OF THE SINGLE
EUROPEAN SKY "DOSSIER" DURING ITS PRESIDENCY. PRIORITY WILL
BE GIVEN TO THE MEASURES REGARDING SAFETY OF PASSENGERS AND
PROTECTION OF THEIR RIGHTS, SUCH AS REIMBURSEMENT FOR DENIED
BOARDING AND ON CANCELED AND DELAYED FLIGHTS.

GALILEO


--------------------------





14. (SBU) GALILEO IS AN ITALIAN PRIORITY FOR ITS EU
PRESIDENCY. MARAINI STATED THAT THE GOI WOULD LIKE TO SPEED
UP DECISIONS CONCERNING GALILEO, INCLUDING DECISIONS ON THE
DEFINITION OF SERVICES AND ITS DEPLOYMENT AND OPERATION.

MEETINGS & OTHER EVENTS


--------------------------





15. (SBU) THE COUNCILS OF TRANSPORT, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND
ENERGY ARE SCHEDULED TO MEET ON OCTOBER 9-10 AND ON DECEMBER
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 02193 02 OF 02 161421Z
4-5. THE GOI IS PLANNING AN INFORMAL MEETING OF THE
MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT IN NAPLES, JULY 4-5, 2003, TO WHICH
WILL BE INVITED THE TEN CANDIDATE COUNTRIES. ADDITIONALLY,
THE GOI WOULD LIKE TO LAUNCH A COMMON DEBATE ON THE TEN-T.

ITALY-U.S. COOPERATION


--------------------------





16. (SBU) MARAINI REASSURED US THAT THE GOI SUPPORTS THE
CONTAINER SECURITY INITIATIVE (CSI) AND WOULD WORK WITH THE
U.S. ON THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF CONTAINERS. HE ALSO
STATED THAT THE GOI IS AWARE OF THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN
THE TRANSITION TO A TRANSATLANTIC OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT AND
SAID, "I HOPE THAT IT WILL BE TREATED WITH COMMON SENSE."

COMMENT:


--------------------------





17. (SBU) MARAINI WAS A FORTHRIGHT AND INTELLIGENT
INTERLOCUTOR. WE EXPECT TO CALL UPON HIM FREQUENTLY TO
DISCUSS SOME OF THE MORE CONTENTIOUS TRANSPORTATION ISSUES WE
HAVE WITH THE EU.
SEMBLER

UNCLASSIFIED

>
2003ROME02193 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED