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BackOn Monday, EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas presented the new Transport White Paper, in which the Commission outlines its transport strategy until 2050. Similar to the last Transport White Paper from 2001, the Commission is setting targets for reducing transport emissions. The intention is to achieve this by internalising external costs and implementing a shift to low-emission modes of transport. In spite of the lack of success it is planned to continue with liberalising rail transport.
The target is to reduce transport emissions by 60 % by 2050. One of the ideas to achieve this objective is to decrease the number of vehicles with conventional fuel engines by 50 % by 2030. Conventional vehicles in urban areas should be phased out by 2050. Also by 2050, 40 % of maritime vessels and airplanes shall be operated with low-carbon fuel. 30 % of all road freight transport travelling a distance of more than 300 km shall be shifted to rail or waterway transport by 2030 and 50 % by 2050. On the one hand, the aim is to move transport to more environmentally friendly modes by internalising external costs - such as air pollution. On the other hand, it is intended to develop infrastructure, to strengthen competition and to encourage consumers to choose more environmentally friendly transport means.
Future transport developments should finance themselves, claimed Commissioner Kallas; the private sector would no longer be involved in financing the infrastructure as public resources would be rather scarce in future. The Commission names Canadian pension funds as an example for possible private investors; they operate among others the high-speed rail link between London and the Channel Tunnel. The liberalisation of rail transport shall be continued; more detailed information will follow in the Rail Package 2012/13. So far the Commission seems not to have drawn any lessons from the little successful liberalisation steps.
A harmonisation of the social standards for personnel in particular in freight or rail transport has been demanded for many years; however, little has been done to implement these. There is also still a need for improvement in respect of passenger rights.
With the exception of the concrete figures - regarding the reduction of emissions by 60 % - the proposals as to how this reduction can be reached are very vague. It should mainly be achieved by internalising external costs and as a result of stronger competition. Whether this will be sufficient - in view of growing road transport - to meet the targets set, is often put into question. This depends on which Directives or Regulations will follow the White Paper and whether more will be done than after the Transport White Paper 2001.
Further Links:
EU Commission: WHITE PAPER Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system
MEMO Transport 2050: The major challenges, the key measures
Future transport developments should finance themselves, claimed Commissioner Kallas; the private sector would no longer be involved in financing the infrastructure as public resources would be rather scarce in future. The Commission names Canadian pension funds as an example for possible private investors; they operate among others the high-speed rail link between London and the Channel Tunnel. The liberalisation of rail transport shall be continued; more detailed information will follow in the Rail Package 2012/13. So far the Commission seems not to have drawn any lessons from the little successful liberalisation steps.
A harmonisation of the social standards for personnel in particular in freight or rail transport has been demanded for many years; however, little has been done to implement these. There is also still a need for improvement in respect of passenger rights.
With the exception of the concrete figures - regarding the reduction of emissions by 60 % - the proposals as to how this reduction can be reached are very vague. It should mainly be achieved by internalising external costs and as a result of stronger competition. Whether this will be sufficient - in view of growing road transport - to meet the targets set, is often put into question. This depends on which Directives or Regulations will follow the White Paper and whether more will be done than after the Transport White Paper 2001.
Further Links:
EU Commission: WHITE PAPER Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system
MEMO Transport 2050: The major challenges, the key measures