EC to shape future transport framework ...

+++ 2009-06-17+++

Six main trends and challenges will shape the future transport policy over the course of the coming decades. This is the outcome of the reflection process initiated by the European Commission (EC), which involves stakeholders and transport experts, and whose results were presented by EC Vice-President and commissioner of transport, Antonio Tajani, in Brussels today.
The six identified areas are

• Environmental challenges
• Availability of energy resources
• Urbanisation
• Globalisation
• Migration and internal mobility
• Aging

Together with this, the EC today also adopted a Communication on the future of transport. It will massively impact on the whole transportation industry and thus on the shipping sector. Accelerating the introduction of innovative technologies and the full integration of the different transport modes is deemed crucial to meeting the challenges future transportation will face. "Transport has been and will remain an essential component of our daily lives", commissioner Tajani pointed out. "Further integrating different transport modes [and] .. putting the EU at the forefront transport services and technologies", thus shaping an integrated, technology-based and user-friendly transport system are the key ambitions of future European transport policy, according to today's Communication.  

Participating in EC's VIRTUE project over the past four years, FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS has constantly contributed its expertise to such a R&D endeavor.

Today's EC Communication is to serve as ground for debate on the main challenges and opportunities for the transport sector in the long term, i.e. 20 to 40 years. It follows the white paper the EC has set in 2001 for the European transport policy throughout 2010 and defines a vision for the future of transport and mobility until 2020, taking into account scenarios that may possibly arise decades beyond this date. By 2010, it will transform into a white paper with detailed, concrete policy formulation.

For further information on EC transport policy and reform programs please check the EC website.