The start of key transport projects, the successful Presidency of the Council of the European Union, further significant progress in the digitisation of transport agendas, successful negotiation of a record budget for transport investments and organisation of humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees. That was the year 2022 at the Ministry of Transportation.
Transport minister Martin Kupka chaired the Transport Ministers Council in Brussels. Today, the council adopted, among other things, a common position (general approach) on the Commission's proposal for a regulation on the Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network, the so-called TEN-T network review. The decision will help in developing reliable transport on the backbone arteries and in obtaining funding for sustainable travel projects, in particular the development of trans-European rail networks. These will continue to run through the Czech Republic as well.
On 29 November 2022 Prague hosted two meetings dedicated to data-connected, cooperative and automated mobility. It took place within the framework of a series of events organised as part of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU. The meeting of the representatives of Member States, the European Commission and the European Automated Mobility Partnership took place at the Prague Congress Centre, the traditional venue for major Presidency events.
This year's Czech Space Week, a festival of space activities organised by the Ministry of Transport together with CzechInvest, the Observatory and Planetarium of the Capital City of Prague, Planetum and other partners, under the auspices of the Czech EU Presidency will go beyond the borders of the Czech Republic and even further. The festival kicked off today, on 28 November, at the Prague Congress Centre with the two-day Space2Business event and will last until Friday, 2 December. The agenda for businesses, investors, start-ups, students, children and other fans of space is really big. It will celebrate the successes of Czech businesses operating in the space industry and introduce innovations that are driving the space sector in the Czech Republic. The event will also address the impact of the war in Ukraine as part of the Czech Copernicus User Forum. The seminar "Defending European Interests in Space" will focus on the increasingly interlinked topics of space and defence. As part of its international overlap, a workshop will also be held to strengthen cooperation with the Indo-Pacific region. The general partner of the event is the Brno-based company TRL Space Systems.
Revision of the TEN-T regulation, promotion of high-speed railways across Europe and strengthening of the role of the European Union in space. This was what the transport minister Martin Kupka spoke about to the Members of the European Parliament. Speaking in the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), he presented and explained to MEPs the Czech Presidency's transport plans for the upcoming six months.
The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) partnered with Czech rail operator České dráhy and infrastructure manager Správa železnic to host an event on 11 July looking at the state of high-speed rail in Europe. Organised with the Czech Presidency of the EU Council, the debate was opened by Czech Minister of Transport Martin Kupka. Czechia is currently preparing a major high-speed rail project connecting the Central Eastern Europe (CEE) region and laying an important foundation for the wider European vision of linking all major European cities by high-speed rail.