Tag: Transport -keyword

EU transport ministers agree on the future challenges identified by the European Commission, but stress the need to take into account the impact of the current economic crisis on the sector and make passengers pay more for using infrastructure. 

The European Commission yesterday (17 June) presented its vision for an integrated, technology-led and user-friendly sustainable transport system after 2010. But environmental NGOs complained that the vision failed to place sufficient emphasis on managing demand and neglected to put sustainability at the heart of future policies.

Both market solutions and more regulation are needed to improve the environmental performance of transport, the European Commission at a conference on the future of the sector on 9 March.

Transport's carbon footprint is hampering the development of a low-carbon economy, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA), which wants political action to be taken to address soaring demand for transport spurred by sectors as diverse as food and education as well as business and leisure travel. 

As EU lawmakers ponder the contribution of alternative fuels to the EU's CO2 emission reduction targets, transport stakeholders are demanding that political decisions be taken and realistic targets be set, to give industry a stable legislative framework that allows it to prioritise R&D spending.

The European Commission has approved a takeover of Alitalia by a consortium of Italian private investors, freeing them from having to repay some 300m euro of state aid awarded by the Italian government to the ailing air carrier. 

Commission Vice President Jacques Barrot and Transport Commissioner-designate Antonio Tajani each faced three hours of questioning in separate hearings in the European Parliament on June 16. Tajani had to face the most difficult questions, in particular regarding the Alitalia state aid case.

Members of the European Parliament are expected to give a hard time to the Italian commissioner-designate Antonio Tajani during his hearing procedure in the European Parliament in the coming weeks, various Parliament sources said.

Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski has ordered the suspension of works on a contested highway running through protected wetlands in Poland after the Commission asked for urgent measures to be taken by the European Court of Justice.

The terrorist attacks in the USA, Spain and London forced countries all over the world to strengthen their transport security measures but there is not always agreement on how far such measures can go before becoming invasive and over-expensive.

The debate on biofuels is heating up, with the Commission and the Greens guarding against potential negative impacts such as rainforest depletion in Brazil and increased competition with wood and food production.

In 2001, the Commission presented a White Paper proposing 60 measures to overhaul the EU’s transport policy in order to make it more sustainable and avoid huge economic losses due to congestion, pollution and accidents. A 2006 mid-term update attempts to re-balance the policy towards economic objectives.

Experts at an evening debate organised by Friends of Europe discussed whether EU transport policy has really improved the transport sector.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has tried to fend off accusations that it is supporting projects in central and eastern Europe which place too much emphasis on road transport.

Local authorities will be given more latitude to finance land transport under a modified Commission proposal to be unveiled this year. Global aviation deals, safety issues and road charging remain high on the agenda.

Jacques Barrot has highlighted security as a dominant aspect of the Commission's transport strategy. He sees it as a way to address potentially conflicting environmental and competitiveness concerns.

François Lamoureux, head of the Commission's Directorate General for Transport, has briefed MEPs on the EU executive's future priorities on transport. He said that transport security is one of the EU citizens' primary concerns.

Dutch Transport minister Karla Peijs will inaugurate her Presidency of the Transport Council with a focus on the future of the air transport sector and the development of inland shipping.

This report analyses the consequences of the inelasticity of demand for oil-based products in the transport sector of the world's economies.

Toxic chemicals used for the manufacturing of car tyres are to be severely restricted from end 2008 under a new proposal put forward by the Commission.

Meeting with the EEB, ETUC and the Social platform on Monday, Irish Premier Bertie Ahern received a joint plea to launch a major programme of public investment focusing on sustainable transport and social housing.

European Federation for Transport & Environment policy officer Stephanos Anastasiadis explains that the only way to achieve sustainable mobility is by ensuring that road and air transport pay their true 'external costs'.

From 16 to 22 September, European citizens will have the opportunity to enjoy a week of events dedicated to sustainable mobility.

The EU wants to increase road safety through the use of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In that context, the Commission presented on 15 September 2003 a set of measures to develop safer and more intelligent vehicles with the aim of halving the number of deaths from road accidents by 2010.