20 July 2016

CLECAT welcomes holistic approach to decarbonising the transport system

CLECAT, the European association for forwarding, transport, logistics and customs services, welcomes the European Commission’s new strategy on the decarbonisation of transport, published on 20 July.

Nicolette van der Jagt, CLECAT’s Director General, said: “CLECAT is glad to see the Commission pursuing a holistic approach to decarbonisation of the transport chain, taking into account low-carbon energy use, increased efficiency and innovative, intelligent management of the transport system.

“Such a holistic approach should achieve a balance, offering the industry relevant alternatives without imposing a conflicting choice between costs and environmental benefits. It is vital that EU policy-makers and industry find the optimal and most efficient solutions for decarbonising transport, especially in terms of cost/benefit, so as to reduce transport’s climate footprint without harming the freight transport industry.”

It is vital for the EU to follow an overarching objective involving all means of transport, based on the development of the co-modality as well as the modernisation of each mode of transport, rather than punishing any one single mode.

Therefore, CLECAT welcomes the strategy’s commitment to promoting multimodal integration, including modernisation of incentives for combined transport. CLECAT calls on the Commission to move forward with modernisation of the Combined Transport Directive and to ensure that it works flexibly and realistically, for instance by reviewing distance limitations.

We welcome the Commission’s recognition that digital technologies can greatly aid the efficiency of the transport system and therefore emissions reduction. Connected IT systems have a great potential in ensuring a continuous, real-time flow of information along the supply chain, enabling smart logistics planning, so as to calculate the best solutions and the best routes in order to optimise vehicle and infrastructure use. The forthcoming Integrated Research, Innovation and Competitiveness Strategy for the Energy Union should pay particular attention to the benefits of smart infrastructure for efficient logistics and intermodal connections.

We welcome the Commission’s recognition that digital technologies can greatly aid the efficiency of the transport system and therefore emissions reduction. Connected IT systems have a great potential in ensuring a continuous, real-time flow of information along the supply chain, enabling smart logistics planning, so as to calculate the best solutions and the best routes in order to optimise vehicle and infrastructure use. The forthcoming Integrated Research, Innovation and Competitiveness Strategy for the Energy Union should pay particular attention to the benefits of smart infrastructure for efficient logistics and intermodal connections.

CLECAT notes the Commission’s intention to modernise the EU’s road charging framework in order to move towards distance-based systems, including all road users. CLECAT is of the view that road charges should reflect the environmental performance of vehicles to create incentives for the purchase and use of cleaner vehicles.  Initiatives to charge for environmental costs will be far more acceptable to industry if the revenue generated from any related charges and taxes are earmarked. 

CLECAT also calls on the Commission to respect a global approach to aviation and maritime emissions, avoiding regional unilateral measures which would upset the global framework and damage European trade.

CLECAT looks forward to working with the Commission in the development of the actions to implement the strategy, and urges the Commission to maintain a spirit of open cooperation with industry to ensure that the decarbonisation of the transport chain progresses in the interests of all.