The EU Commission is proposing an amendment to the Directive to make combined freight transport more attractive. In future, Combined Transport will be subsidised on the basis of external costs and organised digitally. The proposed measures should make it 10 per cent cheaper. AK is fundamentally in favour of more environmentally friendly freight transport. However, it is doubtful whether the proposed measures will actually lead to success.

The Commission‘s proposal aims to reduce the negative impact of freight transport by promoting a shift from road to inland waterway, rail, short sea shipping and maritime transport within the EU. To this end, binding eligibility criteria are defined that such a service must fulfil. A key innovation is the assessment of transport on the basis of external costs. Another funding criterion will be the mandatory use of electronic transport information platforms (eFTI).

In November, the members of the European Parliament voted by a narrow majority in favour of amending the EU Treaties. This involves important organisational principles of the EU. Among other, Parliament is calling for more rights of co-determination and decision-making and a social progress protocol. The ball is now in the European Council's court to decide whether to convene a convention.

The Commisson's proposal provides for a standardised methodology for calculating CO2 emissions from passenger and freight transport and from the operation of transport hubs. This is to be welcomed. There is a need for reliable and comparable data.

Under Directive (EU) 2018/851 of 30 May 2018, the obligation of the Member States to introduce separate collection of textiles by 1 January 2025 was standardised in the Waste Framework Directive. The present proposal aims to create the basis for such separate collection. To this end, the introduction of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for producers of certain textiles is proposed.

The textile sector produces immense amounts of waste. In order to reduce the environmental impact of the sector as a whole, this waste must also be disposed of correctly. It has already been planned that all EU Member States would have to introduce the separate collection of textiles by 1 January 2025. In the summer, the EU Commission specified the implementation of this plan in a further proposal for a directive. This is the subject of a current AK EUROPA position paper.

A recent draft directive by the European Commission aims to put more extra-long and extra-heavy lorries (“Gigaliners”) on the road. The reasons given for revising the existing rules range from a shortage of drivers to improving road safety and environmental protection; the proposal is part of a legislative package on green freight transport presented in early July.

A current draft directive by the EU Commission aims to put more extra-long and extra-heavy lorries on the road in the EU. The consequence would probably be a further shift of freight transport from rail to road. This would not only run counter to the goals of the Green Deal, but also jeopardise road safety. At the same time, the investment needed to adapt and repair the infrastructure would be enormous. Gigaliners also represent a deterioration from the workers' perspective, as they would further increase the pressure on drivers.

Water is a vital resource. However, it is becoming increasingly scarce due to the climate crisis. Not only humans and nature, but also sectors such as agriculture, energy and the textile industry need large quantities. To find solutions to the major challenges we face, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is calling for a Blue Deal for the EU. Modelled on the EU Green Deal, the intention is to create a European strategy to ensure good management of the "blue gold" for people, the economy and our planet.

18 September 2023 marks the eighth anniversary of the diesel scandal, one of the biggest environmental scandals of recent decades. Despite the far-reaching consequences, even after eight years, "Dieselgate" has not been fully dealt with, neither in all Member States nor in the institutions of the European Union. As a recent study by the Chamber of Labour shows, Austria is even more affected than originally assumed. Where does the processing of the scandal stand after eight years in the EU and the Member States?