GEN

TRANSPORT POLICY

FOLLOW-UP TO THE CARDIFF/HELSINKI SUMMIT ON THE INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INTO THE TRANSPORT POLICY

– Council Resolution

1. In order to meet the requests from the European Councils in Cardiff and Vienna, the Transport Council decided on a strategy on the integration of environment and sustainable development into the transport policy on 6 October 1999 (11717/99 TRANS 197 ENV 335). This strategy is due for review by June 2001. Hence the Telecommunication and Transport Council is called upon to decide on this review in the form of a Resolution, which will constitute an input into the work of the European Council in Göteborg (15/16 June 2001). It should be recalled that this European Council will undertake a comprehensive review of the process of integrating environment protection requirements and sustainable development into priority sectoral policies.

2. With that in view, Coreper agreed on the text of a draft Resolution ( 1) which appears in Annex and invites the Council to adopt it. The draft Resolution aims to focus the Community's action when implementing the Council Strategy by identifying a number of priority tasks.

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ANNEX

DRAFT

COUNCIL RESOLUTION OF 4/5 APRIL 2001

ON THE INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

INTO THE TRANSPORT POLICY

Having regard to the treaty establishing the European Community, in particular Articles 2 and 6.

THE COUNCIL

1. RECALLS the big step taken by the development of a strategy on the integration of environment and sustainable development into the transport policy decided by the Council 6th October 1999, which was a response to the request from the European Council in Cardiff and Vienna.

2. Confirms the commitment to achieve further progress towards sustainable transport based on the strategy.

3. REAFFIRMS the need for Member States to develop and implement integrated strategies in several areas of economic and social activities in order to promote sustainable transport.

4. RECALLS the considerable initiatives already underway to implement the strategy into EU transport policies as outlined in the Commission Staff Working Paper ( 2).

5. RECOGNISES, that there is a need for further action in order to attain a sustainable transport system defined as one that

· allows the basic access and development needs of individuals, companies and societies to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health, and promotes equity within and between successive generations;

· is affordable, operates fairly and efficiently, offers choice of transport mode, and supports a competitive economy, as well as balanced regional development;

· limits emissions and waste within the planet's ability to absorb them, uses renewable resources at or below their rates of generation, and, uses non-renewable resources at or below the rates of development of renewable substitutes while minimising the impact on the use of land and the generation of noise.

6 REITERATES its invitation to Member States and the Commission to promote, to the extent possible, the objectives mentioned above also within the framework of the relevant fora and international organisations dealing with transport.

7. EMPHASISES that integration of environmental aspects and progress towards a sustainable transport system can provide new business opportunities, bring social progress, stimulate economic growth and create new jobs without necessarily entailing traffic growth with an increase in the negative effects of transport.

8. AGREES with the objectives of reducing congestion, optimising the use of each mode of transport with a view to reversing the present unsustainable overall trend in the development of the modal split and thus achieving at least stability of the present modal split within ten years, even with further traffic growth. These objectives will form the platform to steer towards a larger share of the more environmentally friendly transport systems, thus ensuring safer, less congested, affordable transportation modes serving the citizens.

9. AGREES to give priority to those policies and measures responding in a balanced way to the demand for mobility, efficiency and respect of environment, in particular reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Kyoto commitments, reduction of particulates and other harmful substances and reduction of noise.

10. Recognises the need for packages of measures and policy instruments aiming at an accelerated and broad market introduction of clean, quieter and energy efficient technology and alternative fuels from renewable energy sources, a revival of public transport, a fair and efficient pricing regime including the environmental costs, an efficient use of the entire transport system including an increased use of environmentally less harmful means of transport and a consequent adaptation of the transport infrastructure.

11. RECOGNISES that the situations in various regions of the Community differ. Therefore there is a need for differentiated measures adapted to the specific regions. At the same time the Council is aware of the need for co-ordinated action with the aim to preserve the free movement of persons and goods and the achievements of the Internal Market.

12. REITERATES its invitation to applicant countries to follow the integration principle as it is being developed in the Community when formulating national and local strategies during the pre-accession period. The Applicant Countries are encouraged to allocate resources to maintain and develop their environmentally less harmful transport modes such as railways, inland waterways and maritime and public transport. During the pre-accession process, the allocation of funds to applicant countries could be linked, where possible, to the development of such modes.

13. INVITES THE COMMISSION to move forward on the following tasks prior to the next review.

· Elaborate on the possible use of indicative long term and intermediate environmental targets for the transport sector on EU-level, taking into account the interaction with other sectors.

· Further analyse how the strategy can be implemented in order to achieve a sustainable transport system that combines a high level of environmental quality with a stimulated economic growth, social sustainability, and the creation of business opportunities and new jobs. The analysis should take into account the development and impact of changes in transport in the context of EU enlargement.

· Elaborate on a possible European strategy, including in the field of research and development, for an accelerated introduction of alternative fuels from renewable energy sources and clean, quieter and energy efficient concepts and technology in road, rail and inland waterways aiming at substantial market shares.

· Promote and facilitate the use of market mechanisms and develop modern technical tools for collecting charges as provided for under a fair and efficient pricing regime including the environmental costs.

14. NOTES the Commission's intention to propose a Regulation to safeguard a continuous operation of the Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism (TERM).

15. Agrees to continue to review the strategy regularly on the basis of reports from the Commission. The next review is to take place during the Danish presidency.

16. recognises the work by the Joint Expert Group on Transport and Environment and encourages their further support.

17. CALLS ON THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL TO

· Recognise this resolution on transport and environment as an important input to the sustainable development strategy.

· Invite other formations of the Council to contribute to the development of a sustainable transport system.

Footnotes:

( 1) The Commission entered a reservation on this draft text. Following the meeting of Coreper, the Commission indicated that it would, on adoption of this resolution, make the following statement for the Transport Council minutes:

"STATEMENT BY THE COMMISSION ON THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON THE STRATEGY ON THE INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INTO THE TRANSPORT POLICY

The Commission notes the various invitations from the Council which it will examine with due attention. The Commission stresses, however, that it reserves the right to respond in accordance with the rules of the Treaties, bearing in mind its right of initiative and taking account of the resources, both budgetary and human, at its disposal."

( 2) 7511/01 TRANS 53 ENER 41 ENV 154 ("Integrating Environment and Sustainable Development into Energy and Transport policies: Review Report 2001 and Implementation of the Strategies").