News from Europe
The transport sector will be the biggest energy user in 2020
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released a survey showing that the transportation sector will overtake industry as the largest energy user in the world by 2020. Energy used for transportation is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 2,1% and emissions of carbon dioxide are expected to be, in 2030, 70% higher than
The European Ministers of Transport agree on the second rail package
The European Ministers of Transport agreed on 28th March on the second railway package prepared by the European Commission. This new package will lead, if it is adopted by the European Parliament in second reading, to an opening of the international rail freight to competition on 1st January 2006 (instead of 2008 as forecast in
The European Commission proposes generalisation and harmonisation of electronic charging systems
The European Commission presented on 23rd April a draft directive on the introduction and interoperability of electronic road toll systems in the EU. The directive will apply to all kinds of roads, to bridges and tunnel charging systems whether on the trans-european transport networks, inter-city or urban. The benefits will be reduced congestion, increased traffic
The European Commission launches a public debate on services of general interest
The European Commission released on 21st May a ” Green Paper on services of general interest”, which opens a debate on the role of the European Union for defining the objectives of services of general interest and the way they shall be organised, financed and evaluated. The Green Paper, which acknowledges that services of general
EMTA is 5 years old !
The association of European Metropolitan Transport Authorities (EMTA) was founded in 1998 so as to form a venue for exchange of information and best practices between the authorities responsible for public transport in the European metropolitan areas. Five years later, it already brings together 28 such authorities in charge of planning, coordinating and funding public
EMTA enriches its website
The proceedings of the workshop organised by EMTA on the issue of transport and land use policies in Frankfurt in October 2002 are now available on EMTA’s website. A summary can be downloaded in English, French, German and Spanish, and the full presentations are available in English. A section only accessible to EMTA Members is
Joint EMTA – UITP Conference on contractual relationships between authorities and operators (Vienna, 24 – 26th February 2003)
The conference, that presented how to use contracts, from first negociation to re-negociation, look at how responsabilities can be shared between authorities and operators (risk allocation), and how contracts can be best managed in the context of new European regulations. Case studies from different parts of the world were presented.
Public authorities can take account of ecological considerations for tendering procedures
In a judgement released in September, the European Court of Justice ruled that public authorities are entitled to take account of ecological considerations concerning the bus fleet offered for the award of bus services through tendering procedures. This decision was reached in a case raised by the company Concordia against a decision of the city
The European Commission launches a High Level Group on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells
The European Commission launched last October this new High Level Group comprising senior representatives from major EU automotive and energy companies, public utilities, research institutes, transport companies and policy makers. The Group will assess the potential benefits of using hydrogen and fuel cells in EU transport and energy productions, and pave the way for more
Lorry tolls on German highways as of August 2003
The German authorities expect an increase of freight traffic by 60% by 2015. In this context, the federal government decided in September to implement a toll for lorries of more than 12 t using the 12,000 km of German motorways as of August 2003. The objectives of this new toll are fourfold : – better
EMTA Members
