Many ambitious promises, too few concrete announcements: the European Commission’s “Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy”, presented on Wednesday 9 December by the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, and the Commissioner in charge of the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, received a mixed reception.
This roadmap, based on ten areas for action and 82 initiatives, is primarily intended to give the European transport sector the means to meet the objective of a carbon-neutral EU by 2050. The document presented this Wednesday has, in this sense, not undergone substantial changes compared to the preliminary draft detailed in our columns a few days before its presentation (see EUROPE 12616/12).
However, the Commission’s main objectives, presented in the introduction to the document, have been somewhat expanded and further clarified.
The institution has introduced a target of carbon neutrality by 2030 for all scheduled collective travel of less than 500 km within the EU. It also relies on automated mobility deployed on a large scale and on the introduction of zero-emission marine vessels on the market. For large aircraft, on the other hand, the target remains 2035.
Finally, by 2050, the Commission estimates that almost all cars, vans, buses and new heavy-duty vehicles will be clean. It still intends to see rail freight traffic double and high-speed rail traffic triple.
The sector clarifies its expectations
Many European trade organisations in the sector welcomed the presentation of this strategy and assured the Commission of their intention to contribute to the greening of the sector, albeit not unconditionally.
Rail. In a joint declaration, the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER ), the Association of the European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM) and the Association of the European Rail Supply Industry (UNIFE) thus welcomed the high priority given to rail.
However, they insist on the need to implement a framework for smart mobility, to internalise the bulk of external costs and to complete the TEN-T - an initiative which is currently rather poorly under way (see EUROPE 12472/15, 12507/18) - in order to meet the objectives set.
Inland navigation. The European Federation of Inland Ports and Harbours (EFIP) also welcomed the strategy, which aims to increase inland waterway and short sea shipping by 25% by 2030 and 50% by 2050.
In particular, EFIP is counting on the implementation of the promised measures relating to the deployment of clean fuel refuelling infrastructure. “Because inland ports will not be able to undertake these essential developments alone”, it stresses.
Route. Much less satisfied with this strategy, the International Road Transport Union (IRU), for its part, regretted that the strategy is based on a “tank-to-wheel” approach - simply measuring the emissions emitted by vehicles on the road - and not on a “well-to-wheel” approach.
This “will merely move CO2 emissions from a very low-emission green coach to a coal-burning electric train, when the source of the power is considered”, says the organisation, which fears in particular the “destruction” of the coach transport sector.
Aviation. Manufacturers, airlines, airports and air navigation service providers, for their part, joined forces to point out that the reduction in industry resources due to the Covid-19 pandemic was “a major obstacle to achieving the required goals”.
The sector is therefore ready to work towards a sustainable recovery, provided only that the Commission endorses its recent proposal for a European Pact (see EUROPE 12603/20).
Too little concrete and too little green?
This strategy “translates into a series of dozens of extremely diverse and wide-ranging announcements, which raises the question of whether it is really possible to implement the objectives mentioned” summed up for her part the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport, Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, France).
Asked at a press conference about the Commission’s ability to stay the course, Mr Timmermans was reassuring. “Are we realistic? Yes, I believe so. Because there is a clear awareness at all levels: political, industrial, at the level of the transport companies.
Regretting the lack of binding and quantified objectives, Ms Delli, in a statement, gave a number of examples of “clear and unambiguous objectives” that she would have liked to see in the text: the end of internal combustion cars in Europe, the introduction of a kerosene tax or funding for night trains.
The lack of concrete proposals concerning workers in the sector was also pointed out. Asked several times by the press about planned legislative initiatives concerning workers, the Commissioner for Transport kicked the issue to the sidelines, saying that her office was working on the subject.
Finally, several environmental organisations have questioned the ability of this strategy to act in favour of the climate.
“The strategy does not propose any change in direction”, Greenpeace said, regretting that the Commission has committed itself to boosting rail and sustainable mobility without setting a target for reducing air transport nor the number of private cars.
Transport and Environment (T&E), for its part, regretted that this strategy is underpinned by a dependence on alternative fuels, mainly biofuels and, to a small extent, hydrogen-based fuels such as ammonia or e-kerosene.
It also deplored the fact that the Commission continues to dodge “the big question”: when will Europe stop selling polluting motor vehicles?
Consult the strategy: https://bit.ly/39XOsJs and the 82 measures: https://bit.ly/3lZJG0k (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)