EUROPEAN COMMISSION Greening Freight Transport Owner’s Manual
- June 16, 2024
- EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Table of Contents
Strasbourg, 11.7.2023
COM(2023) 440 final
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
Greening Freight Transport
Introduction
Freight transport is the backbone of our single market and an enabler of our
trade with the rest of the world. From the transport of raw materials to the
delivery of parcels to our door, logistics chains drive economic growth and
job creation, generating new opportunities for EU businesses, while offering
consumers a wide choice of products and transport services.
As our economy grows, freight volumes are projected to rise. And as transport
of freight accounts for over 30% of transport CO2 emissions1 and is an
important source of air pollutant emissions 2 , the decarbonisation of freight
is vital to us delivering on our climate and environmental objectives as set
out in the European Green Deal. This is why the Sustainable and Smart Mobility
Strategy3 made “Greening Freight” one of its flagship initiatives.
The Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy is our roadmap to making all
transport modes more sustainable, making sustainable alternatives widely
available in a multimodal transport system, and putting the right incentives
in place to drive the transition. The Zero Pollution Action Plan4 further
underscored the need to invest in more sustainable transport and mobility to
deliver on the zero pollution ambition. The Commission has already put forward
several initiatives to support the greening of freight transport, with a focus
on making each transport mode more sustainable in terms of vehicle efficiency
and emissions, using sustainable fuels and making available the recharging and
refuelling infrastructure needed to decarbonise transport across modes (Fit
for 55 package). A further focus is on ensuring that our TEN-T infrastructure
is fit for our environmental objectives (Efficient and Green Mobility
package).
However, more can and must be done, and that is the focus of the initiatives
in the Commission’s Greening Freight Package. Unnecessary regulatory obstacles
continue to undermine the efficiency of European freight, limiting the scope
for emissions reductions. Improving operational efficiency, both within the
modes and at the system level, is therefore one of the cost-effective methods
to greening freight transport. The ambition of shifting to more sustainable
and energy-efficient forms of transport such as rail and inland waterways by
boosting their attractiveness is key to ensuring a more future-proof freight
transport. Under the right conditions, digitalisation can create a win-win
solution: improving performance and working conditions while reducing negative
environmental impacts 5.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has further heightened the urgency
of decarbonising European freight transport, which still largely relies on
fossil fuels. Improving its operational efficiency will help make the
transport sector more resilient in terms of
resources and will consequently do the same for our single market. The
Commission will continue to focus on cutting freight transport’s reliance on
fossil fuels, by, for instance, shifting to zero- and low-emission vehicles,
vessels and planes, while also promoting the removal of bottlenecks in various
transport modes and encouraging the increased use of more energy-efficient
solutions. The recent crises have shown that logistics operators can adapt
relatively quickly to unexpected circumstances. However, it has also become
clear that flexibility depends on many factors, including interconnectivity
between transport modes, existing infrastructure capacity and coordination
through logistics chains to optimise transport flows, as well as an
appropriately skilled labour force. Flexible inter- and multimodality is key
to achieving a resilient transport system capable of better responding to
future crises.
1 Estimate based on PRIMES model, developed and maintained by E3Modelling.
2 Estimate based on PRIMES model, developed and maintained by E3Modelling.
3 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL,
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy – putting European transport on track
for the future ( COM/2020/789
final ).
4 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL,
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
Pathway to a Healthy Planet for All EU Action Plan: ‘Towards Zero Pollution
for Air, Water and Soil’ ( COM/2021/400 final ).
5 For example, the European Green Digital Coalition has developed a
methodology to assess the net environmental impact of digital solutions in
transport ( https://www.greendigitalcoalition.eu/ ).
The Greening Freight Package and other upcoming initiatives planned to be put
forward by the Commission aim at improving the performance of freight
transport by introducing measures to increase its efficiency and overall
sustainability. They will strengthen the attractiveness and competitiveness of
greener freight transport options, while promoting more sustainable transport
choices.
More precisely, in addition to this Communication, the Greening Freight
Package consists of three legislative proposals adopted by the Commission on
11 July 2023:
- The revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive (96/53/EC);
- A draft Regulation on the use of railway infrastructure capacity in the Single European railway area;
- A draft Regulation for a harmonised framework for greenhouse gas emissions accounting of freight and passenger transport services (CountEmissionsEU); and – the revision of the Combined Transport Directive (92/106/EEC), planned for adoption later this month.
This Communication explains how these measures fit within the existing policy framework and with other upcoming proposals mentioned below, such as the revision of the River Information Services Directive or the revision of the Train Drivers Directive. All are geared towards putting in place the necessary infrastructure and vehicles as well as rules, financial support and incentives, while highlighting the critical role of transport workers in this historic transition.
Overall trends in European freight transport
Freight transport activity in the EU in 2021 accounted for more than 3 400
billion tonnekilometres (tkm) 6 . Between 2010 and 2021, road and maritime
transport grew by 19.5% and 11.8 % respectively, while the overall freight
transport activity growth was 13 %. Over the same period, rail and inland
waterways saw a 9.2 % increase and a 12.4 % drop respectively in tkm 7.
The freight modal split has only moderately changed over the last decade 8 .
One of the reasons behind today’s modal composition is structural economic
change in our single market, such as the declining importance of heavy
industry in the EU, the rise of e-commerce, and the increased reliance of
industrial actors on just-in-time deliveries which require fast, direct and
reliable solutions. Ensuring seamless connections between different modes is
therefore more important now than ever before, so that projected growth in
freight transport goes as much as possible via sustainable options – in this
way also reducing congestion on our roads and generating savings to society of
the costs associated with it 9.
6 This figure includes intra-EU air and sea transport but not transport
activities between the EU and the rest of the world.
7 Air freight transport accounted for 2.4 billion tkm in 2021, growing about
29 % from 2010.
8 Maritime transport largely dominates extra-EU freight. Road represents half
of the modal split for intra-EU freight, while the modal share of rail freight
has decreased marginally from 12.4% in 2010 to 11.9 % in 2021. The (low) share
of inland navigation also decreased from 5.1% to 4%.
Moreover, the completion of the Single European Rail Area is taking time, and
while remarkable progress has been made, in particular to open up rail freight
markets to competition, interoperability issues still hold back significant
growth. On the operations side, more flexibility in rail capacity planning and
allocation is necessary to be able to respond to the specific needs of freight
transport. In addition, the availability and quality of infrastructure is not
yet what is needed for the single market to function as it should; the
diverging implementation of infrastructure standards is preventing the
operation of highercapacity freight trains and some notable gaps remain, such
as cross-border missing links and lack of transhipment terminals. Addressing
these gaps would also make the rail sector more resilient in the event of
crises 10.
Europe’s freight transport sector has already had to step up its resilience in
recent years. Put in place only a few days after the start of the COVID-19
pandemic in Europe, the Green Lanes ensured uninterrupted transport services,
and limited disruptions to EU-wide supply chains 11 . In doing so, they
reduced the impact of COVID-19 restrictions and supported economic recovery
while protecting transport workers’ health and safety. EU airports also served
as hubs for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across the Union and beyond
12 . Climate change and extreme weather events such as droughts, heatwaves and
floods have also put severe pressure on the operation of various forms of
freight transport.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has further tested the resilience
of European freight. At the same time, the sector responded robustly and
successfully to the call for help from Ukraine after Russia blockaded its
Black Sea ports. Thanks to the joint efforts by EU Member States, Ukraine,
Moldova, international partners and the Commission, the Solidarity Lanes 13
have become a lifeline for Ukraine’s economy and global food security, and the
backbone of new connectivity with the EU. This connectivity is here to stay.
Looking forward 14 , freight transport activity is projected to grow by around
25% by 2030 and 50% by 2050, compared with 2015 15 . This projected growth
represents a significant challenge from an environmental point of view due to
emissions of GHG, air pollutants and noise unless freight transport is made
more sustainable.
9 For instance, congestion costs for road transport are estimated at EUR 230
billion per year, or 1.8% of EU GDP Source: SWD(2020) 331 final.
10 For example, this would ensure that alternative rail services can be more
easily set up in the event of disruptions similar to the Rastatt incident of
summer 2017. On 12 August 2017, the collapse of the Rastatt tunnel in Germany
disrupted international rail freight traffic, closing the line until October
2017. A study carried out by stakeholder associations has estimated the losses
at some EUR 2 billion.
11 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION on the implementation of the Green Lanes
under the Guidelines for border management measures to protect health and
ensure the availability of goods and essential services ( C(2020) 1897
final ).
12 Brussels Airport served as a hub for distribution of Pfizer vaccinations to
Europe and worldwide.
13 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL,
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS An
action plan for EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes to facilitate Ukraine’s
agricultural export and bilateral trade with the EU ( COM/2022/217
final
).
14 According to developments under current trends and policies (i.e. the
baseline scenario).
15 Estimates based on PRIMES model, developed and maintained by E3Modelling.
Recent steps to make freight transport more sustainable
The 2020 Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy is an ambitious roadmap for
putting European transport firmly on the right track for the future. It sets a
number of milestones on the path towards sustainable mobility, including for
freight transport, such as increasing rail freight traffic by 50% by 2030,
doubling rail freight traffic by 2050, and increasing transport by inland
waterways and short sea shipping by 25% by 2030 and by 50% by 2050 16.
Since the launch of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy in December
2020, the Commission has already delivered. The ‘Fit for 55’ package of 2021
put in place policies that will make individual modes more sustainable.
Agreement between the co-legislators has been reached to promote the uptake of
sustainable fuels in aviation (REFuelEU Aviation) 17 and in maritime transport
(FuelEU Maritime) 18. The agreement on the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure
Regulation 19 sets a minimum floor of recharging and hydrogen refuelling
stations along the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) and in its urban
nodes. Safe and secure parking areas, which are also suitable for recharging
times, are key in this regard and the Commission reiterates the need for
ambition to develop such safe and secure parking areas alongside the TEN-T
network. In addition, the agreement on the Renewable Energy Directive 20
introduces more ambitious targets for the transport sector 21.
Furthermore, the proposed CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles 22 as well as
the proposed new Euro 7 emission standards 23 will ensure that CO2 and other
pollutant emissions from newly sold vehicles used for freight transport will
be significantly lowered. In addition, the new Euro 7 emission standards will
tackle pollutant emissions from brakes and tires, contributing further to
achieving the new stricter air quality standards proposed by the Commission,
notably in cities.
The need to put in place modern transport infrastructure and relevant traffic
management systems was addressed in the proposal to review the TEN-T
Regulation 24. For instance, the Commission has proposed to improve network
quality standards, e.g. through the inclusion of a new infrastructure standard
for the rail loading gauge (P400) and through operational targets for rail
freight transport. European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) deployment
will be accelerated and should be completed by 2040, so that freight trains
can easily cross borders. The TEN-T core network corridors and the Rail
Freight Corridors would be merged into nine ‘European Transport Corridors’ so
that infrastructure planning meets the day-to-day operational needs of rail
freight. For inland waterways transport, the TEN-T revision introduces the
concept of ‘good navigation status’, so that Member States ensure minimum
standards for European waterways based on reference water levels for a defined
number of days per year, while avoiding or mitigating environmental impacts
and taking into account the objectives of achieving good water status under EU
law. 25 The TEN-T revision also calls for more transhipment terminals and
includes targets for ensuring sufficient terminal capacity, so that all modes
can work together more effectively.
16 Compared to 2015.
17 Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on
ensuring a level playing field for sustainable air transport ( COM/2021/561
final ).
18 Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on
the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport and amending
Directive 2009/16/EC ( COM/2021/562 final ).
19 Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on
the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure, and repealing Directive
2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council ( COM/2021/559
final ).
20 Proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
amending Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the
Council, Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the
Council and Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
as regards the promotion of energy from renewable sources, and repealing
Council Directive (EU) 2015/652 ( COM/2021/557 final ).
21 The agreement gives the possibility for Member States to choose between a
binding target of 14.5% reduction of GHG intensity in transport from the use
of renewables by 2030 or or a binding share of at least 29% of renewables
within the final consumption of energy in the transport sector by 2030.
22 Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1242 as regards strengthening the CO₂ emission
performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles and integrating reporting
obligations, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/956 ( COM/2023/88
final
).
23 Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on
type-approval of motor vehicles and engines and of systems, components and
separate technical units intended for such vehicles, with respect to their
emissions and battery durability (Euro 7) and repealing Regulations (EC) No
715/2007 and (EC) No 595/2009. ( COM/2022/586 final ).
24 Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on
Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network,
amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 and Regulation (EU) No 913/2010 and
repealing Regulation (EU) 1315/2013 ( COM/2021/812 final ).
The development of the TEN-T has been supported by the Connecting Europe
Facility (CEF), the Cohesion policy and since 2021 also the Recovery and
Resilience Facility (RRF). In the 2014-2020 period, CEF Transport contributed
EUR 23 billion in EU grant support to transport infrastructure projects. In
the 2021-2027 period, CEF Transport has already allocated EUR 13.1 billion of
the total EUR 25.6 billion budget available. The great majority of the
supported projects concerns sustainable modes of transport, such as railways,
maritime transport and inland waterways, as well as alternative fuels
infrastructure and intelligent traffic management systems. Overall,
approximately 80% of CEF Transport funding contributes to the EU’s climate
objectives in line with the Green Deal. In the 2021-2027 period, cohesion
policy has allocated EUR 25.1 billion to supporting TEN-T – more than two-
thirds of which to sustainable modes of transport.
Progress has also been made to make sure that the ‘polluter pays’ and ‘user
pays’ principles are implemented without delay in all transport modes. This
should ensure a level playing field between modes and build the business case
for freight operators to choose the most sustainable transport option. In this
regard, the revised Eurovignette Directive 26 now in force is enabling more
efficient and greener road charging rules. Under the proposed revision of the
Energy Taxation Directive 27, the Commission has also proposed updated
taxation rules for motor fuels that take into account their environmental
performance. Furthermore, the extension of the EU Emissions Trading System
(ETS) to the maritime and road transport sectors will ensure that the cost of
the CO2 emissions is reflected in the final cost of these services, while the
updated ETS rules for aviation will accelerate the implementation of the
polluter pays principle by phasing out free allowances for the sector by 2026.
Further measures to green freight transport
Despite the actions taken to date, freight transport still faces unnecessary regulatory obstacles and is let down by market failures. This also slows down decarbonisation and reduction of pollution in the freight transport sector. The measures put forward by the Commission to green freight transport address these inefficiencies at both modal and system level. Thanks to a number of important supporting measures summarised below, the quality and availability of sustainable transport services will improve – to the benefit of all.
25 Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23
October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of
water policy.
26 Directive 1999/62/EC on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of
certain infrastructures and Directive (EU) 2022/362 amending Directives
1999/62/EC, 1999/37/EC and (EU) 2019/520, as regards the charging of vehicles
for the use of certain infrastructures.
27 Proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE restructuring the Union framework for the
taxation of energy products and electricity (recast) (COM/2021/563 final).
4.1 Improving the operational efficiency of individual modes
Around 50% of volumes transported by rail freight are moved across borders
(compared to 7% of passenger traffic) 28 , giving the sector a clear European
dimension. However, current rules governing network capacity management and
allocation do not work well and are particularly unfavourable to cross-border
and freight traffic. In broad terms, the current process is annual, national
and manual. The reliance on an annual timetabling exercise does not respond to
the needs of different rail customers: stable timetables, early booking of
tickets for passengers and flexible train runs adapted to just-in-time supply
chains for freight shippers. The national focus and lack of cross-border
coordination often results in crossborder trains, many of which are for
freight, wasting time at the border, while uncoordinated maintenance works on
the national networks disrupt traffic more than necessary. Finally, the use of
interoperable digital tools to manage capacity and exchange between
infrastructure managers and rail undertakings is still limited.
The Regulation on Rail Freight Corridors 29 was intended to address some of
these shortcomings, but its evaluation 30 showed that network capacity cannot
be managed efficiently by distinguishing corridors from the rest of the
network and by considering freight and passengers separately. Thus, the
Commission is now proposing measures to better manage and coordinate
international rail traffic 31 , revising the entire framework for capacity
management and consolidating it into one single legal text. Building on the
industryled Timetable Redesign project, the proposal will provide
infrastructure managers with greater flexibility for both longer-term
strategic planning and shorter-term allocation of capacity. The result will be
more efficient utilisation of rail capacity for all types of traffic. Cross-
border coordination will also be improved, as infrastructure managers will be
required to establish common principles and procedures and consult all
relevant stakeholders via structured processes. Greater use and
interoperability of digital tools will be promoted. Different types of train
services can co-exist on the rail network, but this needs proper management
and cooperation. The Commission’s proposal will improve cross-border
coordination in particular, thereby facilitating the setting up of new cross-
border services including passenger night trains connecting Europe’s capitals
and regions, and long-distance freight services.
The proposal is expected to improve train punctuality and the reliability of
rail services, and to reduce the negative impact of infrastructure works on
rail traffic. By attracting higher volumes of freight to rail, it will also
bring positive environmental impacts, by improving energy efficiency and
reducing greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions, road accidents and
congestion.
Revising the rules on the certification of train drivers will also support
better use of capacity by rail freight. By further harmonising training and
certification requirements across the EU, the revision will improve the
mobility of train drivers across borders and encourage the uptake of digital
technologies. The current rules often require trains to switch drivers at
national borders; these additional border stops impact on efficiency,
preventing optimum use of rail capacity, increasing journey time and the cost
of cross-border rail, while also undermining resilience to disruption within
the system.
28 In 2019.
29 Regulation (EU) 913/2010 of 22 September 2010 concerning a European rail
network for competitive freight.
30 Evaluation of Regulation (EU) No 913/2010 of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 22 September 2010 concerning a European rail network for
competitive freight – Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu).
31 COM(2023) 443.
The deployment of digital automatic couplings (DAC) will be a game-changer for
European rail freight. DAC has the potential to support faster and heavier
trains. It can reduce terminal turnaround times and thereby free up
infrastructure capacity, while also ensuring more accurate freight
localisation through its digital dimension, which is essential to enable
better planning of logistics operations. DAC is thus expected to bring
substantial benefits for the sector as a whole, in terms of both better
capacity and lower costs. It is now time for the rail freight sector and
Member States, with the support of the relevant EU financial institutions, to
find new funding resources to make DAC a European reality. The EU has already
mobilised research and innovation funds to support the development of DAC –
most notably via the European DAC delivery programme run by Europe’s Rail
Joint Undertaking. National promotional banks, commercial banks and possibly
institutional investors (e.g. pension funds, insurers) could be mobilised to
support investment needs, while the European Investment Bank has made
investing in rail one of its priorities, including the deployment of new
technologies. The Commission, with the help of Europe’s Rail Joint
Undertaking, is developing a comprehensive migration strategy to coordinate
deployment.
Like rail freight, and as underscored by the NAIADES III Action Plan 32 ,
inland navigation also needs a serious boost. Digitalisation is key to
improving the efficiency, reliability and competitiveness of navigation and
traffic management, and also to better integrating the sector into broader
multimodal chains, and lowering emissions. At the same time, the further
development of inland navigation needs to take into account relevant EU
environmental rules with an impact on inland waterways. While the River
Information Services Directive (RIS Directive) has increased the operational
efficiency of inland waterway services by harmonising them at the EU level,
there is still room for improvement. The degree of harmonisation achieved
differs between RIS technologies, the update and adoption of technical
standards is still too slow, and digital tools could be used more effectively.
The upcoming revision of the RIS Directive is intended to address these
shortcomings
At the same time, more efficient road transport will remain essential for
freight flows and in particular last-mile deliveries. It is therefore key to
bring down emissions from road freight services, as HDVs are still responsible
for around 28% of road transport CO2 emissions 33 and a significant source of
air pollution 34 . The shift to the deployment of alternatively fuelled HDVs,
in particular zero-emission HDVs, is happening but will take time, even under
the proposed CO2 performance standards for trucks. More needs to be done to
generate energy savings and efficiency gains. The patchwork of diverging
national rules and standards, together with the legal uncertainty regarding
the rules applicable to cross-border operations by certain types of vehicles,
are also slowing the transition to zero-emission vehicles. They are deterring
the sector from using solutions that could lower the environmental impact per
tonne-kilometre transported, such as the European Modular System, if the
solutions are agreed by neighbouring Member States.
32 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL,
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
NAIADES III: Boosting future-proof European inland waterway transport (
COM/2021/324 final ).
33 Source : EU transport in figures, Statistical pocketbook 2022.
34 HDVs also account for 34% of road transport nitrogen oxide emissions in
2020 and are a source of other air pollutants such as particulate matter,
which is a concern in particular for transport operations in and close to
urban centres.
The revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive (WDD) 35 will help make
road transport more efficient and sustainable in a number of ways. First, it
will support a transition to zero-emission HDV fleets through incentives, such
as enabling additional loading capacity for HDVs with zero-emission
powertrains. It will ensure that investment in zero-emission powertrains not
only prevents the loss of loading capacity but may also lead to an increase in
payload, should zero-emission technologies become lighter or smaller. Second,
the revised Directive will also address the inefficiencies generated by the
current rules. By harmonising rules on the use of longer and/or heavier
commercial vehicles in cross-border operations where such vehicles are allowed
to travel in the territories of neighbouring Member States, it will remove
administrative barriers to cross-border transport operations, improving their
operational and environmental efficiency. Third, it will strengthen
enforcement and monitoring, by mandating the use of weighing mechanisms built
into road infrastructure to detect automatically overloaded vehicles and by
promoting further work on Intelligent Access Policy schemes. It is important
to ensure that the right truck with the right cargo operates on the right road
at the right time as this would help reduce the impact on environment,
infrastructure, human health and safety, and society.
The upcoming Roadworthiness Package will reinforce the efforts to reduce air
pollutant and noise emissions in the road sector, with measures allowing for
better emission testing during periodic technical inspections and at roadside
checks, while the upcoming revision of the EU rules on end-of-life vehicles
and on the type-approval of motor vehicles with regard to their reusability,
recyclability and recoverability 36 will for the first time include lorries
and trailers.
4.2 Improving the operational efficiency of freight transport at the system
level
Sustainable freight transport must be multimodal: it should combine the
strengths of individual modes, such as the environmental performance and
energy savings per tkm of rail and inland waterway transport, with the
flexibility and reliability of road transport. This is complicated by the
scarcity of infrastructure, in particular appropriate multimodal terminals.
But achieving multimodality holds the promise of better services for consumers
and businesses, greater environmental performance and lower costs.
Internalising external costs will lead to polluters and users taking
responsibility for the costs they generate and making choices that are also
better for society. Until this internalisation of costs is achieved 37 , non-
road and intermodal transport – involving rail, inland waterways and short sea
shipping, in combination with limited road legs – need support to ensure they
are price-competitive with road operations. The revision of the Combined
Transport Directive (CTD) would aim to make intermodal transport more
competitive. The Commission will consider the possible inclusion of a range of
regulatory, operational and economic measures, such as ensuring that the road
legs of international intermodal operations get the same treatment as
international road operations when using non-resident hauliers. Boosting
intermodal transport can increase the operational and energy efficiency of the
freight system while providing ‘door-to-door’ services of similar quality to
road-only transport. A complete overhaul of the principles is proposed, where
intermodal operations that will be covered by the revised CTD would be defined
in terms of external costs savings, thus facilitating the operations that
contribute the most to sustainable freight transport. Member States’ support
to intermodal transport covered by the CTD will also have to comply with State
aid rules.
35 COM(2023) 445.
36 Directive 2000/53/EC and Directive 2005/64/EC.
37 The Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy announced that “The Commission
will therefore pursue a comprehensive set of measures to deliver fair and
efficient pricing across all transport modes. Emission trading, infrastructure
charges, energy and vehicle taxes must come together in a mutually compatible,
complementary and coherent policy.”
The revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive provides additional
incentives to intermodal transport by enabling additional loading capacity for
HDVs involved in intermodal operations and to non-containerised intermodal
transport. The revision planned for adoption this summer of the rail Technical
Specifications for Interoperability will also support intermodal operations by
improving interoperability between rail and road. The work of the European
Union Agency for Railways (ERA) to remove obsolete national rules will remain
paramount for the completion of a Single European Rail Area.
Providing reliable and comparable information about the carbon footprint of
freight services to businesses and consumers can go a long way towards
encouraging them to opt for greener transport solutions – without implications
for the public purse. At the same time, greater transparency on the
environmental performance of transport services can be a very powerful tool
not only to stimulate behavioural change in the market but also to support
investment decisions of transport service organisers and operators to reduce
emissions and costs.
CountEmissionsEU 38 establishes a common framework to calculate the door-to-
door wellto-wheel greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of transport services, based
on an internationally accepted standard 39 . Reliable GHG emissions data will
enable transport operators to effectively benchmark their services, and
consumers – be they businesses or individuals – to make informed choices about
the least carbon intensive transport or delivery options. Companies
calculating these emissions will be required to use and to rely on the common
framework when they choose to publish them or share with business partners or
individual transport users.
As highlighted in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, future mobility
should offer paperless options in all modes, for professionals and individual
drivers alike. Digitalisation can also help reduce administrative burdens and
lead to the creation of new business models. Sharing relevant data and
information can significantly enhance the operational efficiency of multimodal
logistics chains by making it possible for users to track, trace and plan
their shipments. Availability of electronic certificates and freight transport
information would also facilitate digital enforcement. Implementing the
Regulation on Electronic Freight Transport Information will create an EU-wide
network of certified digital platforms for exchanging cargo-related B2A
information. In the future it could also be used for other B2A exchange (e.g.
driver, operator and vehicle-related information), as well as for supporting
B2B communication. The European Maritime Single Window environment Regulation
will have a major role in improving the efficiency of short sea shipping,
which suffers from burdensome, inconsistent reporting obligations between port
calls. Both regulations are currently being implemented and are expected to
become applicable in 2025.
Good progress has already been made under the Digital Transport and Logistics
Forum, which is working on a concept and tools for a wider multimodal data-
exchange framework.
38 COM(2023) 441.
39 ISO 14083:2023; Quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions
arising from transport chain operations;
https://www.iso.org/standard/78864.html.
The upcoming Communication on European Mobility Data Space will set out the Commission’s plans in this regard.
Investing in the green transformation of freight
The transition is already under way in the sector and the Commission fully
recognises that this transition is major – and so are the investment needs.
The additional private and public investment needs required to prepare
transport for a sustainable future are estimated at EUR 205 billion per year
between 2021 and 2030 compared with the previous decade 40 . The challenge is
therefore to combine in a sound manner public and private investments, notably
using financial instruments (including conditions for loans and for blending
grants and loans) to ensure the quick deployment of recharging and other
alternative fuels infrastructure, as well as the renewal of vehicle fleets,
especially by bridging the gap faster between the purchase prices of fossil-
fuelled and zero-emission vehicles, planes and vessels, reducing the total
cost of ownership of the latter. More cooperation and follow-up at EU level is
needed. The Commission will – within the Sustainable Transport Forum – bring
together the relevant market actors from transport and energy to approach the
total investment challenge for sustainable freight transport in a
comprehensive manner.
The electrification of freight, for example, requires a coordinated sector
integration 41 . The TEN-E Regulation 42 stresses the importance of cross-
border smart electricity grids, giving particular attention to the role they
can play in enabling the integration of both sectors for example via cross-
border high-capacity recharging networks along highways. Promoting such
synergies between the transport and electricity sectors, as well as promoting
a more sustainable and electrified system, requires a substantial upgrade of
the EU electricity networks. Already by 2030, EUR 584 billion investments are
required to cover the needs in EU electricity grids.
On the public investment side, the Commission will continue to mobilise EU
programmes (Connecting Europe Facility, InvestEU, Horizon Europe, as well as
regional and cohesion funds) to support the greening of freight. They will
address infrastructure bottlenecks and support digitalisation and innovation.
For instance, the setting up of Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking under Horizon
Europe shows the EU’s commitment to research and innovation in rail. Building
on the work accomplished by Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking, the new partnership
has made ‘transforming Europe’s rail freight’ one of its flagship projects,
with a focus on the deployment of innovative solutions in the rail freight
market – DAC but also automation and signalling systems. The work by the other
European partnerships established under Horizon Europe will further contribute
to the decarbonisation of transport via research and innovation activities 43
. The Recovery and Resilience Facility also presents an opportunity to push
for much-needed additional terminal capacity, as well as the modernisation of
rail freight and inland waterway transport. Building on this, REPowerEU has
also put the support to zero emission transport and its infrastructure as one
of its core objectives, enabling Member States to integrate this dimension in
their plans to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
40 They include investments in vehicles/vessels/aircraft and recharging and
refuelling infrastructure. They do not include investments in infrastructure
such as road or railways. They are reported in 2022 prices, using a deflator
of 1.1588. Source: SWD(2023) 68 final.
41 Such importance is reflected in the EU energy legislation, where the
Electricity Directive (EU) 2019/944 requests electricity distribution system
operators to develop network development plans and set out planned investments
with particular emphasis on the main distribution infrastructure required to
connect new generation capacity and new loads. While those network plans can
include recharging points for electric vehicles, long response times by
network operators to requests for network connections for recharging points
risk to delay the necessary deployment of high power recharging points, in
particular for heavy duty vehicles. The Commission will also be vigilant on
the need for quicker permitting, such as for charging infrastructure and
energy grid connections, while guaranteeing the necessary protection of the
environment and public participation as set out in relevant EU law.
42 Regulation (EU) 2022/869 for trans-European energy infrastructure.
43 2Zero, building on previous EGVIA partnership is fostering technological
development in road transport for accelerating the transition towards zero
tailpipe emission mobility; Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking has a specific
focus on Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Vehicles, while CCAM supports innovation in
automated freight.
Member States will continue to spend EU ETS revenues on climate and energy-
related projects, including rail freight transport. The Innovation Fund, also
financed by the ETS revenue, will be expanded and continue to support the
decarbonisation of the transport sector. The scope of priority investments of
the Modernisation Fund has been extended to infrastructure for zero-emission
mobility.
However, considering the current pressure on national and EU budgets and the
massive investments required by the green and digital transition, public
support alone will not be sufficient. The Commission will continue to
cooperate with the European Investment Bank and national promotional banks to
help target their lending accordingly. Furthermore, the Commission will
continue to work on setting the right framework to give the right private
investment signals. The Commission considers that promising business models
are emerging, whereby financial investors combine public support like grants
or lower-interest public loans with private investments to support transport
operators both in rolling-out charging infrastructure at their depots and in
using dedicated instruments to lower the total-cost of ownership of operating
zero-emission trucks, hence addressing two key obstacles to the transition.
The Commission will promote such financial instruments, including with
institutions such as the European Investment Bank and national promotional
banks in the Member States.
In parallel, the Commission will continue working on the right framework with
the right private investment signals. For example, the EU Taxonomy aims to
help channel capital to support sustainable economic activities by
establishing clarity on which activities qualify as green 44 . If the latest
updates to the Taxonomy framework 45 are adopted as foreseen, technical
screening criteria will be set out for a wide range of sustainable transport
modes, notably in terms of freight transport and infrastructure. In such a
scenario the European Green Bond Standard 46 , based on the EU Taxonomy, will
further help mobilise additional private investment for the greening of
freight transport.
Essential workers for greener freight
The shortage of transport workers is threatening European freight services – and their future 47. All modes are already experiencing staff shortages, and this will be further exacerbated as the ageing transport workforce retires and the demand for freight services increases. These shortages are often the result of various factors, including difficult working conditions, such as long working hours, periods spent away from home and lack of professional growth, as well as demographic challenges. Overcoming these requires both attracting more workers to the sector, as well as empowering the current labour force to be able to harness existing opportunities, such as those related to the green and digital transitions.
44 Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of
18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable
investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088, available at: <https
://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32020R0852>.
45 https://finance.ec.europa.eu/publications/sustainable-finance-package-
2023_en
46 https://finance.ec.europa.eu/sustainable-finance/tools-and-standards
/european-green-bond-standard_en
47 According to the latest 2022 report on labour shortages by the European
Labour Authority, truck drivers figure among the widespread shortage
occupations for 2022, in line with similar trends from previous years.
Similarly, the upcoming 2023 ESDE report includes land transport and transport
via pipelines among the subsectors where Member States experience persistent
labour shortages.
The Commission has made efforts to improve working conditions and increase the
attractiveness of the transport sector for its workers through its strong
commitment to social dialogue 48 and other initiatives, such as Women in
Transport – Platform for Change 49 and the network of Diversity Ambassadors in
Transport 50 . More recently, the 2021 European Year of Rail was a golden
opportunity to promote rail as an attractive employer – and the sector made
good use of this opportunity, for instance with the Women in Rail agreement
between the sectoral social partners 51 . The 2023 European Year of Skills 52
has further built on this momentum, focusing on the skills needed for the
transport sector of the future.
The ongoing digital transformation presents opportunities, such as increased
efficiency, improved working environment and quality jobs that should attract
more workers to this sector. The Commission will also continue to work on the
just transition towards automation and digitalisation for the transport
workforce 53.
The Commission has also put forward legislative initiatives 54 to improve
working conditions and social protection in the road freight sector, while
ensuring a balance between the freedom of goods and the freedom of operators
to provide cross-border services. The priority is now the implementation of
these provisions, to make sure that truck drivers can fully make use of their
new rights while maintaining a level-playing field in the market. Moreover, in
its proposal to revise the TEN-T Regulation, the Commission emphasised the
need to ensure safe and secure parking areas that are crucial for the
protection of the health and safety of these workers, including the women
among them.
In addition to stepping up the mobility of train drivers across borders as
outlined above, the new initiatives to green freight transport will help
further improve working conditions in the sector. For instance, the revision
of the Weights and Dimensions Directive will likely incentivise the use of
more aerodynamic cabins, which will improve comfort and safety of drivers.
Furthermore, increasing the use of zero-emission HDV will significantly reduce
drivers’ exposure to noise and air pollution in the cabin, thus improving
working conditions. The upcoming initiative on crewing requirements for inland
navigation is another concrete example of an initiative that will positively
impact the mobility of workers and create a level playing field, while also
helping to ensure that automated vessels are deployed efficiently.
Attracting workers to the freight transport sector will remain key to its
future, and the Commission has already taken several steps to do this – most
recently, through the revision of the driving licences Directive, where the
Commission has proposed allowing accompanied driving for lorry drivers from
the age of 17, so that young people graduating from school no longer need to
wait until they are 18 before they can drive these vehicles. The proposal also
aims at streamlining the recognition of driving licences issued in selected
third countries, and setting up a knowledge network to support the integration
of professional drivers from third countries within the single market.
48 The recent Council Recommendation on Social Dialogue, which brings social
dialogue to the EU acquis, reinforces sectorial social dialogue that is
crucial for the sector, including for the issues such as conditions in the
sector, better enforcement of EU driving & rest time rules, driver shortages,
image and recruitment.
49 https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/social-issues-equality-
and-attractiveness-transport-sector/equality/women-transport-euplatform-
change_en
50 https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/social-issues-equality-
and-attractiveness-transport-sector/equality/diversity-
ambassadorstransport_en
51 Signed by European Transport Workers Federation (ETF) and Community of
European Railways and Infrastructure Managers (CER).
52 https://year-of-skills.europa.eu/index_en
53 Under Action 69 of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the
Commission announced its plan to issue recommendations for the transition to
automation and digitalisation and their impact on the transport workforce.
54 These include Directive (EU) 2020/1057 which harmonised rules on posting of
drivers and Regulation (EU) 2020/1054 which strengthened, clarified and
guaranteed effective enforcement of social rules in road transport.
In a similar vein, the Commission will also launch a dedicated study to
compare the requirements to obtain a Certificate of Professional Competence
(CPC) needed by truck drivers issued in selected third countries with the CPC
requirements in the EU. This will help identify the gaps that holders of CPCs
issued in third countries may have and adapt the training requirements under
the CPC Directive 55 to focus on those gaps.
Last but not least, several initiatives are also already in place at the
European level to upskill and re-skill transport workers to perform their jobs
in a greener and more digital sector, such as the STAFFER project in rail 56 ,
the Skills Sea project in maritime transport 57, and the large scale
partnership for shipbuilding and maritime technologies developed under the
umbrella of the Pact for Skills 58.
Conclusions
As we celebrate 30 years of the single market, we also celebrate our transport
companies and workers who have ensured the free movement of goods in the EU
and beyond, and made a true success story of our single market.
The European freight sector is at a turning point. It must seize the
opportunities offered by the green and digital transition to become less
polluting, more resilient and continue to thrive in the globalised economy of
tomorrow. All modes need to do their share and work more efficiently –
individually and all together.
With our efforts to green freight transport, we move forward along the path
set out by the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, towards achieving our
European Green Deal objectives for transport. The initiatives described in
this Communication build on and complement the various initiatives already put
forward during this Commission’s mandate – all geared towards decarbonising
and reducing the environmental impact of freight transport while allowing our
single market to grow.
Curbing the free movement of goods – a fundamental freedom within the EU – is
not an option. Greening freight and economic growth must go hand in hand. The
competitiveness of our single market and the EU’s drive towards open strategic
autonomy depend on it.
55 Directive (EU) 2022/2561
56 https://www.railstaffer.eu/
57 https://www.skillsea.eu/
58 https://pact-for-skills.ec.europa.eu/about/industrial-ecosystems-and-
partnerships/mobility-transport_en
Documents / Resources
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EUROPEAN COMMISSION Greening Freight
Transport
[pdf] Owner's Manual
Greening Freight Transport, Freight Transport, Transport
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References
- ISO 14083:2023 - Greenhouse gases — Quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions arising from transport chain operations
- Home - Railstaffer
- SkillSea "Futureproof Skills for the Maritime Transport Sector" - SkillSea
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