Brussels, 9 December 2020
On the 9th of December, the European Commission presented its “Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy” together with an Action Plan of 82 initiatives, which will guide its work for the next four years. This strategy lays the foundation for how the EU transport system can achieve its green and digital transformation and become more resilient to future crises. As outlined in the European Green Deal, the result will be a 90% cut in emissions by 2050, delivered by a smart, competitive, safe, accessible and affordable transport system.
For the EU Commission, all transport modes need to become more sustainable, with green alternatives widely available and the right incentives put in place to drive the transition. Concrete milestones (2030, 2035 and 2050) will keep the European transport system's journey towards a smart and sustainable future on track:
- Sustainable: For transport to become sustainable, in practice this means:
- Boosting the uptake of zero-emission vehicles, vessels and aeroplanes, renewable & low-carbon fuelsand related infrastructure - for instance by installing 3 million public charging points by 2030.
- Creating zero-emission airports and ports- for instance through new initiatives to promote sustainable aviation and maritime fuels.
- Making interurban and urban mobility healthy and sustainable- for instance by doubling high-speed rail traffic and developing extra cycling infrastructure over the next 10 years.
- Greening freight transport - for instance by doubling rail freight traffic by 2050.
- Pricing carbon and providing better incentives for users - for instance by pursuing a comprehensive set of measures to deliver fair and efficient pricing across all transport.
- Smart: Innovation and digitalisation will shape how passengers and freight move around in the future if the right conditions are put in place. The strategy foresees:
- Making connected and automated multimodal mobility a reality - for instance by making it possible for passengers to buy tickets for multimodal journeys and freight to seamlessly switch between transport modes.
- Boosting innovation and the use of data and artificial intelligence (AI) for smarter mobility - for instance by fully supporting the deployment of drones and unmanned aircraft and further actions to build a European Common Mobility Data Space.
- Resilient: Transport has been one of the sectors hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, and many businesses in the sector are seeing immense operational and financial difficulties. The Commission therefore commits to:
- Reinforce the Single Market - for instance through reinforcing efforts and investments to complete the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) by 2030 and support the sector to build back better through increased investments, both public and private, in the modernisation of fleets in all modes.
- Make mobility fair and just for all - for instance by making the new mobility affordable and accessible in all regions and for all passengers including those with reduced mobility and making the sector more attractive for workers.
Step up transport safety and security across all modes - including by bringing the death toll close to zero by 2050.