All news & events

Along with a group of key European stakeholders, CLECAT signed up to a Position Paper in support of the review of the Combined Transport Directive a few days before the European Commission High-level Conference on European Multimodal Freight Transport in Sofia on 20th March. The statement notes that the new proposal to revise the Combined Transport Directive offers good grounds to encourage the use of combined transport in order to achieve a more resource efficient transport and logistics network.

Following a project funded by the European Commission, a new Roadsec.eu portal has been created, which provides downloadable factsheets for truck drivers and logistics managers on top security tips, preparation of a security plan, vehicle inspection and incident reporting in road transport.

The current Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) runs until the end of 2020. End of May 2018, the Commission will present proposals for the post-2020 MFF (2021-2027) and for the next generation of thematic programmes that will receive funding, including the most relevant programme for ports, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF II). In order to ensure that the CEF II comes with an adequate budget envelope, CLECAT has again joined forces with more than 40 transport organisations to revitalise, extend and coordinate the Transport coalition “More EU budget for Transport, the best investment plan for Europe!”, launched in 2015.

CLECAT has adopted its position paper on the revision of the 1992 Combined Transport Directive. CLECAT has long supported a revision of Directive 92/106/EEC, which is outdated, ambiguous and creates barriers to the effective operation of combined transport. The review is an opportunity to make the legislative preconditions realistic, transparent and up to date. Overall the Directive should be lighter, simpler and less costly to implement. The proposed revision goes some way to overcoming these failings of the current Directive, which is welcome, but still requires improvement in places in order to bring clarity and certainty to the combined transport market.

CLECAT held its 2017 Freight Forwarders Forum, on “Smart and Sustainable Logistics Solutions Through Multimodal Transport” at the Port of Barcelona on the 24th November. More than 80 experts, policy makers, and stakeholders in the supply chain discussed the challenges of multimodal transport, ahead of the 2018 European Year of Multimodality. An executive summary and the presentations are downloadable.

CLECAT organised a panel session on 29 November as part of Intermodal Europe 2017 entitled "Empowering freight forwarders, carriers and shippers to reduce their carbon footprint." CLECAT Director General Nicolette van der Jagt moderated discussions on the benefits of emissions accounting and reporting for logistics companies, which is the subject of the LEARN Project and the GLEC Framework.

As persistent uncertainty continues over the future relationship between the EU and the United Kingdom, customs authorities on both sides are becoming seriously concerned about the potential impact of a no-deal situation. Several articles have been published about the concerns voiced by customs authorities in the UK and the EU27 regarding their capacity to cope with such a scenario and the shortage of customs officials to manage the impact. CLECAT believes these shortages must be addressed, and a transition arrangement agreed, as soon as possible, in order to minimise the shock of the UK leaving the EU.

Violeta Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport, recently responded to a letter sent by the rail freight industry about the lessons to be learnt from the Rastatt construction site accident.

Effective multimodality permits forwarders to offer a tailor-made service to their customers, thus improving the flow of goods throughout the European economy and boosting growth. An efficient multimodal transport chain allows goods to bypass congestion, achieving value pricing through economies of scale and a flexibility which serves customer needs first. Nonetheless, regulatory barriers to achieving seamless multimodality still exist in Europe, including the current Combined Transport Directive. Does the proposed revision of the Directive break down these barriers?

On the occasion of the EU Digital Transport Days, taking place in Tallinn from 8 -10 November, CLECAT has published a position paper on Digitalisation in Transport and Logistics. CLECAT’s position paper gives the views of freight forwarders on digitalisation in transport and logistics, and contributes to ongoing initiatives such as the Digital Transport and Logistics Forum (DTLF).