Transport policy must be prioritised
Monday, November 30th, 2009Transport policy must be given a higher priority that reflects the importance of the sector’s contribution to the development of the European Union, Commission President José Manuel Barroso has been told by transport representatives.
In a joint letter, nine transport organisations representing the European rail, road, air, inland waterway and maritime sectors, expressed their desire for a stronger and more comprehensive commitment to transport policy from the new Commission.
“Our sector should be seen and developed with full consideration given to all the complex environmental, economic, social, and employment factors that are inseparable from EU transport policy and the achievement of a prosperous, integrated and successful European Union,” they wrote.
In the recently published ‘Political Guidelines for the New Commission’, presented by Commission President Barroso in July 2009, the ‘decarbonisation of the transport sector’ was the sole reference to transport in the entire document.
“Decisively tackling the environmental challenges is a more important priority than ever before and has to be a key element of the future European transport and climate policy,” the sector organisations agree. “But it should not be pursued to the exclusion of all other transport policy goals,” they add.
