EU transport policy must recognise environmental limits

2nd October, 2009

Europe should rethink its approach to transport infrastructure, give its noise legislation some teeth, and come good on its mandate to tackle nitrogen oxide pollution, says AEF in its response to the EC’s consultation on the future of EU transport.

The consultation comes ahead of a new EC Transport White Paper for the 2011-2020 period. While decisions about individual transport projects fall to member states, the Commission has a role both in providing funding (for regional airport expansion designed to strengthen trade relations in the EU, for example) and in developing harmonised legislation across all states to tackle some of the environmental impacts of transport (such as the EU’s emissions trading scheme and the requirement for airports to draw up noise action plans).

AEF’s response to the Public Consultation on the Communication on a Sustainable Future for Transport can be downloaded here.