The ninth Clean Transition Dialogue, devoted to the decarbonisation of transport and the transition to zero-emission mobility within the European Union, was held on Monday 8 April.
Jointly led by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Executive Vice-President in charge of the European Green Deal, Maroš Šefčovič, and the Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, the meeting brought together representatives of all European modes of transport, financial institutions and social partners.
The aim of this dialogue was to explore ways of ensuring the global competitiveness of the EU’s transport industry, facilitating collaboration between the public and private sectors and improving access to finance to support the decarbonisation of the sector.
With her sights set on maintaining a European competitive edge in pursuit of climate neutrality by 2050, President von der Leyen highlighted in her opening address the need for massive and intelligent investment in transport infrastructure that is resistant to climate change and extreme weather events, citing an annual funding requirement of at least €100 billion up to 2030.
Ms von der Leyen also discussed the deployment of recharging and refuelling infrastructure for alternative fuels, the development of clean fuel technology, particularly in maritime and air transport, and the importance of reliable supply chains for essential components such as green steel and batteries.
These statements initiated exchanges between participants with a view to strengthening the skills needed by the sector to decarbonise.
The dialogue is part of the European Green Deal and follows a series of discussions initiated by the Commission on topics such as hydrogen, energy-intensive industries and energy infrastructure, among others. The Commission plans to share its response to these dialogues in a communication on Wednesday 10 April. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)