43 Transport policy
| (a)
(27679)
11312/06
COM(06) 336
+ ADDs 1-2
(b)
(27703)
11732/06
COM(06) 380
+ ADDs 1-2
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Commission Communication: Freight transport logistics in Europe — the key to sustainable mobility
Commission Communication: Mid-term review of the programme for the promotion of short sea shipping
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| Legal base | — |
| Documents originated | (a) 28 June 2006
(b) 13 July 2006
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| Deposited in Parliament | (a) 10 July 2006
(b) 19 July 2006
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| Department | Transport |
| Basis of consideration | (a) EM of 21 July 2006
(b) EM of 27 July 2006
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | December 2006
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared, but relevant to the debate in European Standing Committee on the Commission Communication on the mid-term review of its 2001 Transport White Paper
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Background
43.1 The Commission's 2001 White Paper "European Transport
Policy for 2010: Time to decide" drew attention to the importance
of both freight transport logistics and short sea shipping (that
is any maritime journey within or between Member States or a nearby
third country such as Norway) to sustainable mobility. [103]
The documents
43.2 In its Communication on freight transport logistics, document
(a), the Commission asserts the importance of logistics in providing
sustainable mobility of goods as part of increasing European competitiveness
and prosperity. It defines freight transport logistics as the
planning, organisation, management, control and execution of freight
transport operations in the supply chain. It also defines other
terms it uses:
- co-modality — "the efficient use of transport modes
operating on their own or in multimodal integration in the European
transport system to reach an optimal and sustainable utilisation
of resources";
- multimodality — "the carriage of goods
by two or more modes of transport, irrespective of the types of
freight, within a single transport chain"; and
- third-party logistics — "an organisation
[using] external logistics providers that supply all or a considerable
number of its logistical activities".
43.3 The Commission argues that:
- rail and inland waterways should
be modernised;
- air freight should be better integrated into
the logistics system;
- the positive development of short sea shipping
should be accelerated; and
- deep sea shipping and its connection to its hinterland
should be enhanced.
43.4 The Commission outlines a number of areas which
could be enhanced through the development of a framework strategy:
- identification of bottlenecks
in the transport chain and of solutions;
- improving information and communications technology;
- provision of better logistics training;
- better statistical data through monitoring and
benchmarking the European transport market;
- optimising utilisation of current infrastructure;
- service performance and quality standards;
- promotion and simplification of multi-modal chains;
and
- loading standards.
43.5 The Communication is accompanied by staff working
documents containing an impact assessment points arising from
the assessment for further consideration.
43.6 Following consultation on the Communication
the Commission proposes to present an Action Plan in 2007.
43.7 The Communication in document (b) is a mid-term
review by the Commission of the 14 legislative, technical and
operational actions proposed in the Programme for the Promotion
of Short Sea Shipping.[104]
The Commission records that short sea shipping has maintained
its position as the only mode of transport able to challenge the
fast growth of road transport. Between 1995 and 2004 the tonne-kilometre
performance of short sea shipping in the EU (including the new
Member States) grew by 32%, while road performance grew by 35%.
It performs 39% of all tonne-kilometres in the EU while the share
of road is 44%. The fastest growing segment of short sea shipping
has continued to be containerised cargo, with an average yearly
growth of 8.8% since 2000.
43.8 The Commission reports that progress on the
Programme is more than half-way to completion and is addressing
the main problem areas facing the mode. Three actions have been
almost or fully completed:
- the adoption of International
Maritime Organisation facilitation forms in the Member States
(and where a new target has been set);
- Motorways of the Sea[105]
(also where a new target has been set); and
- the Short Sea Customs procedures Guide (which
has now been merged with other ongoing actions).
In some cases there is a need to target an action
more precisely than earlier, that is for integrating short sea
shipping more tightly into the logistics supply chain, or add
a new target, that is extending the scope of Short Sea Promotion
Centres to cover inland supply chains.
43.9 The Commission concludes that the 14 actions
introduced in the Promotion Programme seem to have been the right
ones, and work on all of them should continue with amplified efforts
in co-operation with Member States, the industry and the European
Shortsea Network.[106]
43.10 The Communication is accompanied by staff working
documents about an impact assessment of the Programme for the
Promotion of Short Sea Shipping.
The Government's view
43.11 The Minister of State, Department of Transport
(Dr Stephen Ladyman) says that in general terms the issues outlined
in the Communication at document (a) are valid and the proposed
development of an action plan is sound. He adds that the Government
supports the use of non-legislative measures where practicable
to improve overall logistics efficiency and aims to get the Commission
to facilitate discussions with industry and to provide benchmarking
and best practice information for logistics providers as key elements
of an action plan.
43.12 But the Minister also says that some of the
Commission's more detailed thinking raises a number of issues
which would be difficult for the Government citing:
- the Commission's proposal for
a European Standard for intermodal containers. He notes that a
draft Directive on standards for intermodal containers (intermodal
loading units)[107]
was effectively rejected by Member States in 2004 and says the
Government sees no reason for this to be resurrected, as industry
will devise standards it believes necessary; and
- reopening of the vehicle weights and dimensions
debate. Consideration of increases in weights and dimensions of
road vehicles is premature. He says the Government is looking
at alternative lorry weights and dimensions, but suggests that
significant and widespread increases in lorry sizes would introduce
infrastructure and acceptability issues. The Minister adds that
the Government has concerns that such increases would undermine
current and future investment in other modes of transport and
reduce their potential for the development of co-modal logistics
schemes.
43.13 On the Communication in document (b) the Minister
says that:
- the Government shares the Commission's
desire to increase short sea shipping;
- the focus on encouragement and promotion is welcome;
- the balance between EU and Member State activity
is appropriate with both Member State administrations and industry
having a substantial contribution towards the achievement of objectives;
- the Government supports most of the components
of the Commission's Programme, particularly the Commission's efforts
to work with Member States in areas such as streamlining procedures,
which will facilitate industry's commercial operations through
more effective administration;
- the Commission has made good progress since 2003
to implement the proposed measures; and
- the Government has told the Commission its view
that while elements of the programme might be refined or better
targeted, it would be best to concentrate on completing the existing
actions and consolidate the work done so far rather than having
any new initiatives before this Programme is finished and that
it is pleased the Commission has settled on this approach.
43.14 The Minister adds that the main area of the
Programme where the Government is at odds with the Commission
is in relation to the proposal for a Directive on intermodal loading
units. He repeats that the Government is not convinced that the
proposal is necessary and believes that industry should take the
lead if further standardisation is required.
Conclusion
43.15 These documents review important areas of
the Community's transport policy. Although clearing them from
scrutiny, we note that they are both relevant to the debate in
European Standing Committee we have recommended on the recent
Commission Communication on the mid-term review of its 2001 Transport
White Paper.[108]
103 (22660) 11932/01 (22776) 12597/01: See HC 152-xv
(2001-02), para 2 (30 January 2002) and Stg Co Deb, European
Standing Committee A, 13 March 2002, cols. 3-28. Back
104
(24452) 8523/03: See HC 63-xxii (2002-03), para 3 (21 May 2003),
HC 42-iii (2003-04), para 2 (17 December 2003) and HC 42-xi (2003-04),
para 15 (25 February 2004). Back
105
(24941) 13297/03 (24970) 13244/03: See HC 63-xxxvi (2002-03),
para 3 (5 November 2003) and Stg Co Deb, European Standing
Committee A, 11 November 2003, cols. 3-26. Back
106
See http://www.shortsea.info/. Back
107
(24452) 8523/03: See HC 63-xxii (2002-03), para 3 (21 May 2003),
HC 42-iii (2003-04), para 2 (17 December 2003) and HC 42-xi (2003-04),
para 15 (25 February 2004) and (25651) 9265/04: HC 42-xxiii (2003-04),
para 9 (16 June 2004). Back
108
(27648) 10954/06 + ADD1: See HC 34-xxxvi (2005-06), para 1 (19
July 2006). Back
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