Make freight a higher rail network priority, says Transport Committee - Main contents

The European Commission i should allocate at least 40% of EU transport infrastructure appropriations to the railways and prioritise freight, to reduce the need for road transport, says an own-initiative report, adopted unanimously by the Transport Committee on Tuesday. MEPs urge the Commission to concentrate EU co-financing on improving the efficiency, interoperability and upgrading of rail infrastructure, inter-modal hubs and other freight transport modes.

The Commission should also define "green corridors", as exemplary inter-modal projects and encourage the shift to intelligent and environmentally-friendly transport modes so as to reduce accidents, congestion, noise, local toxic and non-toxic pollution, CO2 emissions, landscape and energy consumption, suggests the report by Michael Cramer (Greens/EFA, DE).

Europe's freight transport system must meet integration and sustainability challenges

Members also stress that freight transport must meet pressing challenges to increase effective integration and sustainability, doing more to improve mobility and energy efficiency and to reduce oil consumption, polluting emissions and external costs. In an enlarged European Union, the use of more efficient logistics systems is part of the gradual integration of priority cross-border freight corridors, hubs and conventional networks, they say.

Streamline administration

To improve the transport system, the committee advocates standardising and simplifying the administration of freight transport market authorities and simplifying customs rules at borders. It welcomes the decision to establish a maritime space without barriers and urges the Commission to ask the appropriate international associations and organisations to develop a single inter-modal document, with the assistance of the relevant associations and organisations.

Solutions to the current blockages

MEPs also urge the Commission to propose, no later than the end of 2008, a programme for strengthening cooperation between the Member States responsible for transport projects. This should assess and facilitate solutions to the current blockages, with particular attention to goods transport, taking due account of the added value of logistics. The Commission is also asked to support projects seeking the differential use of existing high-speed lines, e.g. for freight transport.

Improve logistics education

Finally, MEPs call on the Member States to give absolute priority to higher and further education in logistics and freight transport.

Four Commission communications

Mr Cramer's report responds to four Commission communications, on the EU's freight transport agenda, the freight transport logistics action plan, a railway network giving priority to freight and on multi-annual contracts for rail infrastructure quality.

The Commission is to present an action plan for freight transport in September 2008.

14/07/2008

In the Chair : Paolo COSTA (ALDE, IT)

Procedure: Own-initiative - Plenary vote: September - The Cramer report was adopted in committee with 39 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions.