EU News

13/10/2009

ECG Position on the Commission Communication "A sustainable future for transport" (Download PDF)

14/09/2009

Letter from the European Commission regarding the finished vehicle logistics sector
Download Letter (PDF)
Download Communication Extract (PDF)
Download Annex 2 (PDF)

01/05/2009

Update to EU Cabotage regulations -- download an overview here

18/10/2007

On 17 October, the European Commission adopted a series of initiatives affecting freight transport logistics in Europe.

The European Commission’s action is a response to the perceived challenges that the predicted increase in freight transport activity (50% by 2020) will raise:

  • Congestion, which negatively affects costs and time of transport and increases fuel consumption
  • Freight transport needs to do its part in addressing climate change targets, reducing pollutant emissions and noise
  • Freight Transport is highly dependent on fossil fuels
  • Transport safety and security needs to be further enhanced
  • There are signs that transport and logistics-related industry sectors are having difficulty attracting qualified staff

At the same time the package of measures proposed by the European Commission is an attempt to use opportunities that the developments such as, enlargement, concentrated global market of freight transport logistics, the prospects of enhancing trade relations with the countries outside the EU and accelerated progress in Information and Communication Technologies, provide.

The new package of measures consists of the following proposals:

Action Plan on Freight Logistics

This plan presents the number of short – to medium-term actions to promote freight and traffic management, sustainable quality and efficiency, simplification of administrative processes, to review loading standards and examine, with a view to possibly reviewing Directive 96/53/EC on vehicle dimensions and weight (while bearing in mind the consequences on the other transport modes)

Communication on freight-oriented rail network

It intends to make rail freight more competitive, in particular by ensuring lower transit times and increasing rail’s reliability and responsiveness to customers requirements

Communication on the European Ports Policy

It provides a vision and a toolbox for enhancing the performance of ports as essential hubs in Europe’s transport system, helping attracting new investment, creating a stable dialogue between all stakeholders and improving their image.

The European Commission published also:

Commission staff working paper “Towards a European maritime transport space without barriers”

This document starts a consultation process on allowing short sea shipping to fully benefit from the Internal Market through facilitation and simplification of administrative and documentary procedures, putting maritime freight transport on an equal footing with other transport modes

Staff working paper on Motorways of the Sea

This document describes progress made in developing Motorways of the Sea and suggests further quality elements.

ECG will analyze those proposals in detail and prepare a position on them. In order to fully reflect the interests of all modes of transport represented within ECG as well as the views of all ECG members, I would like to ask you to send me your comments and reactions!

We count on your contribution!

Full text of all the proposals and more information can be found under the following link:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/logistics/freight_logistics_action_plan/index_en.htm