Transport Brief
Automation takes to the skies
It’s a well-worn narrative - taxi drivers will soon see their numbers decimated by the rise of self-driving cars. But while cabbies may lament the rise of the robots, what about airline pilots?
The cycling elite – coming for your cars?
Somehow bicycles, which are relatively cheap and cost virtually nothing to run, have come to symbolise an eco-conscious elite, while cars, which are expensive and cost a lot to run, are seen as the choice of the people.
Putting a price on flight shame
Those who travelled by plane over the summer break doubtlessly found that the airport experience – testing at the best of times – had an added soupçon of complexity, as EU countries sought to shield themselves against the still rampant virus with a wall of bureaucracy.
Billionaires in space
For decades, those who dared venture beyond the realm of Earth held a romantic position in our minds – men and women that combined great knowledge with great courage. Today, however, the great mystery of space is commodified. We’re well on our way to space becoming a playground for billionaires. The final frontier is just another bucket list item for the rich.
Fit for 55: EU sets clock ticking on fossil and diesel engines
Following months of fevered speculation (and equally fevered lobbying), the Fit for 55 climate laws package was unveiled last Wednesday (14 July). In today’s Transport Brief we’ll take a look at what the Fit for 55 plan means for three key sectors: road transport, aviation, and maritime.
Limbering up for Fit for 55
For those in the orbit of the EU institutions – lobbyists, journalists, policy wonks, activists – the suspense is almost unbearable. Wednesday (14 July) will see the European Commission unveil the so-called “Fit for 55” package: more than a dozen pieces of legislation that aim to ensure the bloc reduces emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
Sky no longer the limit for aviation taxes
The European Commission is set to do the previously unthinkable – tax aviation jet fuel. Reversing a long-standing policy, the EU executive will apply an EU-wide minimum tax rate on fossil-based kerosene for flights travelling within the bloc.
Auf Wiedersehen to the combustion engine
In less than 15 years, Volkswagen, one of the world’s largest car manufacturers, will stop selling internal combustion engine vehicles in Europe. There’s no doubt that the move is spurred partly by EU regulations, which have forced manufacturers to produce cleaner vehicles, often amid industry protest.
Europe looks to recharge its automotive manufacturing supremacy
The shining jewel in the crown of European manufacturing is arguably the automotive sector. But while the continent is king of the internal combustion engine, it is not the leader in battery manufacturing. In fact, Europe lags behind China, Japan, and South Korea when it comes to electric battery output.
Green on the outside only
The climate crisis and LGBTQ+ pride month have something in common – they’re both an opportunity for large companies to performatively demonstrate their values. But values that must contend with profits are fluid, more a river with divergent streams than an immovable mountain.
Chaos looms as travel resumption edges closer
It seems foolhardy to say it louder than a whisper, but there are reasons for optimism: slowly but surely, COVID - within the EU at least - is receding. Mass inoculation is having an effect and for many Europeans the tantalising prospect of cross-border travel is once again on the horizon.
Embattled aviation sector faces Belarus fallout
These are trying times for the aviation sector. The list of challenges facing the industry seems to grow weekly. But the most immediate challenge is the geopolitical tension caused by the Belarus incident, which continues to reverberate.
Unfriendly skies
The details are astonishing - an EU-flagged passenger plane travelling from Athens to Vilnius is told that a bomb is onboard whilst flying over Belarus, supposedly planted by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in revenge for EU support of Israel.
Putting a price on road emissions could come with a cost
In theory, hiking taxes are a simple way to compel behaviour change, a tried-and-tested model that follows the economic laws of elasticity and consumer demand. Tax cigarettes and smoking becomes less attractive. Tax alcohol and people will drink less. But tax petrol and diesel and rather than seeing motorists reborn as Lycra-clad cyclists, you may get a violent reaction.
Connecting Europe by rail, the future of public transport in rural areas, and the falling price of EVs
The ability to cross borders seamlessly tends to be described, at least in Brussels, in lofty terms. It is positioned as a crowning achievement of the European project, one that allows us to imagine ourselves outside of geography, to live as “Europeans” uninhibited by boundaries or national constrictions.
Training workers for a digital rail sector, European fuel cells, and a lack of money for cycling infrastructure
Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Transport Brief – your one port of call for all the news moving the world and much more!
Green jet fuel for all flights, expanding the ETS, and defending the internal combustion engine
Greetings and welcome to the EURACTIV transport newsletter! Below you’ll find the latest roundup of mobility news from across Europe. Want to suggest a story? Or just say a digital hello? Drop me a line at: sean.carroll@euractiv.com. Receive the Transport...
Rail vs aviation, charging points rollout criticism, and measuring microplastics
Greetings and welcome to the EURACTIV transport newsletter! Below you’ll find the latest roundup of mobility news from across Europe. Want to suggest a story? Or just say a digital hello? Drop me a line at: sean.carroll@euractiv.com. Receive the Transport...
Clean trucks, tyres recycling controversy, and a metro made of cars
Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Transport Brief – your one port of call for all the news moving the world and much more!
Unblocking the Suez Canal, the Connecting Europe Express, and putting a price on road emissions
Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Transport Brief – your one port of call for all the news moving the world and much more!
Making batteries sustainable, rights for drivers, and the European Year of Aviation?
Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Transport Brief – your one port of call for all the news moving the world and much more!
A mandate for green jet fuel, agreement on CEF, and accelerating the shift to zero-emission vehicles
Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Transport Brief – your one port of call for all the news moving the world and much more!
Probing passenger rights, duelling aircraft tariffs, and opening the door to the Hyperloop
Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Transport Brief – your one port of call for all the news moving the world and much more!