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Sustainable transport

MOBILITY & TRANSPORT

The EU aims to make its transport system significantly more sustainable, in line with the European Green Deal’s goal to cut transport emissions by 90% by 2050. Today, transport contributes about 25% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, and the trend is rising.

Key pillars of the strategy include:
  • Electrification & Clean Fuels: By 2025, the EU expects 13 million low- and zero-emission vehicles on the roads and plans for 1 million charging/refuelling points, supported by CEF funding.
  • Modal Shift: The EU promotes a shift to rail, inland waterways, and multimodal transport (e.g. via the Combined Transport Directive) to reduce road dependency.
  • Digital Efficiency: The deployment of smart traffic management, automated mobility, and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) solutions is expected to improve system-wide efficiency.
  • Polluter Pays Principle: The EU will:
    • Extend the EU ETS to maritime transport,
    • Reduce free ETS allowances to aviation,
    • Support global action via ICAO (CORSIA) and IMO, and
    • Phase out fossil fuel subsidies and push for fair road pricing.
  • Urban Mobility Focus: Cities are key to tackling pollution. The strategy supports public transport, cycling and walking, and port and airport decarbonisation.
  • Sustainable Aviation: The ReFuelEU Aviation initiative mandates increased use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) between 2025–2050, with harmonised EU rules.
  • Governance & Dialogue: The European Sustainable Shipping Forum (ESSF) plays a central role in fostering cooperation and technical exchanges among stakeholders.

European Sustainable Shipping Forum

The European Sustainable Shipping Forum (ESSF) provides a platform for structural dialogue, exchange of technical knowledge, cooperation and coordination between the Commission, Member States’ authorities and maritime transport stakeholders on issues pertaining to the sustainability and the competitiveness of EU maritime transport.

The ESSF operates since 2013 and has become a effective tool to engage and exchange views on a wide range of environmental issues in maritime transport, such as air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The ESSF has been used to prepare the ground for numerous coordinated submissions to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) or the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It also has been at the origin of the concept of the Green Shipping Guarantee Programme. More recently, on an initiative of the ESSF, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), has developed and published LNG bunkering guidance for port authorities and administrations, which will support the use of LNG throughout Europe.

On 27 July 2018, a renewal of the ESSF’s mandate was adopted aiming to (a) further promote the environmentally sustainable initiatives such as alternative fuels (b) decarbonisation (c) increase the efficiency of maritime transport in Europe as part of the overall supply chain (d) maintain the competitiveness of EU shipping.
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A revised open call for applications for the selection of additional experts for the ESSF sub-groups has been launched. Interested individuals and organisations are invited to submit their application no later than 30 of April 2021.

Internalisation of transport external costs

​The strategy for the internalization of external costs in transportation within the European Union focuses on integrating environmental impacts and accident costs into the decision-making process of transport users. This approach stems from a 2006 request by the European Parliament to the Commission for a comprehensive model to assess and internalize these costs across all transport modes.

Key steps in this strategy include:

  1. Estimation of External Costs: Developing methods to estimate external costs, which are typically not borne by those who create them, is crucial. The Commission's work in this area led to the creation of a Handbook on estimating external costs in the transport sector.
  2. Internet Consultation: A broad online consultation was conducted to gather feedback on the principle of internalization and various policy options. This consultation, concluded in December 2007, informed the Commission’s approach.
  3. Impact Assessment: The Commission services conducted an impact assessment on internalizing external costs, using the IMPACT study and other sources. This involved testing different options for internalization and analyzing their effects on the economy, environment, and society.
  4. Greening Transport Package: In July 2008, the Commission adopted a Communication that provides a general framework for the internalization of external costs in the transport sector. This is part of the "Greening transport package" which aims to integrate environmental considerations into transport policies.
  5. Eurovignette Directive: The strategy for internalizing external costs is linked to the Directive on the charging of Heavy Goods Vehicles ("Eurovignette" Directive), indicating a legislative approach to addressing these costs.

EU Legislation: Directive 1999/62/EC on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures
Studies:

Internalisation of transport external costs

Sustainable transport StudiesThe studies are subject to the copyright notice and reuse policy of the European Commission. The studies have been carried out for the European Commission and express the opinions of the organisations having undertaken them. The views have not been adopted or in any way approved by the European Commission and should not be relied upon as a statement of the European Commission's views.

The European Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the information given in the studies, nor is it liable for any consequence stemming from the reuse of this publication.

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  • An inventory of measures for internalising external costs in transport: Final Report  - Annex
2008