News from Europe
New EU energy plan – more security, less pollution
The European commission wants to improve energy‑supply security in Europe while combating climate change and making the industry more competitive. To this end, it has tabled proposals to pave the way for a common European energy policy. The proposals include a cut in CO2 emissions by at least 20% by 2020. The commission will propose
European Environment Agency calls EU to adopt effective urban-planning
Continuous and rapid urban sprawl threatens Europe’s environmental, social and economic balance, says a new report released on 24 November by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The report, ‘Urban sprawl in Europe – the ignored challenge’, shows that many environmental problems in Europe are caused by rapidly expanding urban areas. The global economy, cross border
Saving 20% by 2020: European Commission unveils its Action Plan on Energy Efficiency
As a major step toward meeting the unprecedented energy challenges facing the EU, the European Commission presented on 10 October its Energy Efficiency Action Plan (see EMTA news n°26). The Plan contains a package of priority measures covering a wide range of cost-effective energy efficiency initiatives. Beyond a range of almost 75 actions to reach
Economists forecast continuing bus industry decline in major UK cities
A new report commissioned by PTEG (Public Transport Executive Group) from NERA, has concluded that without significant policy change the decline of the bus in the major UK conurbations outside London will continue. Over the next ten years NERA predicts that service levels will fall by around 20%, fares will rise by about 20% in
Commission authorises Dutch Province of Gelderland to grant € 4.6 million aid for environmental protection and innovation in public transport
The European Commission has decided on 19 July not to raise any objections to the € 4.6 million aid which the Dutch Province of Gelderland plans to allocate to initiatives which explore new ways for protecting the environment and making public transport more efficient and more appealing to the users. The Dutch Province of Gelderland
Nearly one car per two inhabitants in the EU25 in 2004
The Car Free Day took place on 22 September 2006 during the European Mobility Week, dedicated to sustainable mobility. The objective of the week is to facilitate the debate on the necessity for changes in behaviour in relation to mobility and in particular the use of the private car. On this occasion Eurostat, the Statistical
Commission acknowledges carmakers progress on CO2 emissions but calls for extra efforts
In order to respect its Kyoto commitments, the EU is trying to reduce CO2 emissions from road transport – a sector that generates more than one fifth of all CO2 emissions in the EU. Passenger cars alone are responsible for more than half of these emissions. In 1998, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) promised
EEA underlines the link between climate change battle and air quality improvement
The EU Thematic Strategy on air pollution aims to improve European air pollution significantly by 2020. The European Environment Agency (EEA) has analysed improvement prospects for a further ten year period, also integrating climate change instruments as an intervening variable. In a report published on June 1st, the Agency stresses the positive side-effect of climate
Results of the pilot program on hydrogen-fuel cell buses
The EU Commission presented on 11 May the results of a pilot programme launched in 2003 that powered 27 hydrogen-fuel cell public buses in 9 European cities. Called “Clean Urban Transport for Europe” (CUTE), the project has helped cast light on the viability of this emissions-free transportation means. The small-scale CUTE experiment shows that improvements
New orientation for EU Transport Policy
The European Commission adopted on 22 June the orientation for the future EU transport policy. The objective of mobility growth control and modal shift from road and air to rail and waterborne modes described in the 2001 White Paper has been replaced by an objective to offer the necessary level of mobility to people and
EMTA Members
