EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Transport

The European Commission on 20 November 2009 conducted a high-level conference in Brussels on the future of the European transport system. This event marks the closing of two public consultations that the Commission launched in June 2009. One is a communication on “A sustainable future for transport”, another is a Green Paper “Trans-European transport network: a policy review”.  

Already in 2001, the Commission issued a White Paper which set up an agenda for the European transport policy until 2010.

A White Paper, defining a vision for the future of EU transport and specific steps covers the decade of 2010-20; final decision will be taken in 2010.

Commission’s opinion

“Transport has charted the progress of mankind for millennia. The development transport modes and infrastructure has led to the discoveries of new worlds, new routes and new styles of living – just to name a few benefits. The EU future transport policy should reflect the main objectives Europe is pursuing today and in the years ahead: de-carbonisation of transport, advancing people’s Europe and boosting new sources of growth and competitiveness. The EU is working towards, for example, creation of green corridors, and dedicated funds for transport, as well as the formation of a core network of TEN-T projects. The public response to the consultation process was inspiring representing a further opportunity for stakeholders and interested parties to concretely influence the EU response towards important challenges”.

Commission’s vice-president, Antonio Tajani, in charge of EU Transport Policy 

The conference’s work rotated around the following three main topics:

• integrating transport modes, notably through infrastructure policy and the revision of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) policy;
• promoting innovative technologies for clean vehicles and traffic management; and
• responding to the future needs of both transport users and workers .

The discussions touched upon the key policy objectives of the Future of Transport Communication and of the TEN-T Green Paper. They included also the development of a multimodal and fully integrated TEN-T network, an alternative fuels’ policy, the deployment of innovative transport vehicles, new technologies and the key position of transport users and workers as the main actors of tomorrow’s transport system.

Following the conference’s outcomes and the forthcoming Council’s conclusions due in December 2009, the Commission will start to work on concrete measures to shape Europe's future transport policy.

More information on transport policy’s strategy: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/strategies/2009_future_of_transport_en.htm