22 TRANSPORT POLICY
(30714)
11294/09
COM(09) 279
| Commission Communication: A sustainable future for transport: Towards an integrated, technology-led and user friendly system
|
| Legal base | —
|
| Department | Transport
|
| Basis of consideration |
Minister's letter of 28 September 2009 |
| Previous Committee Report |
HC 19-xxiv (2008-09), chapter 3 (15 July 2009) |
| To be discussed in Council
| 18 December 2009 |
| Committee's assessment | Politically important
|
| Committee's decision | Cleared
|
Background
22.1 The Community's transport policy is set currently within
the broad context of the Commission's 2001 White Paper European
Transport Policy for 2010: Time to decide.[89]
22.2 This Commission Communication is a consultation
document inviting all interested parties to provide views on the
future of transport and possible policy options. The intention
was to stimulate debate and encourage policy options to be identified
so as to lead to formulation of concrete proposals for the Commission's
next transport policy White Paper, expected towards the end of
2010. That White Paper is intended to set out policy for the next
decade.
22.3 The Communication is divided into five parts:
- a short introduction;
- a review of the Community's transport policy
since 2000;
- identification of six trends or challenges for
transport over the next fifty years — the ageing population,
migration and internal mobility, environmental challenges, the
increasing scarcity of fossil fuels, urbanisation and global trends
affecting the Community's transport policy;
- identification of seven broad policy objectives
or operational goals for wider consideration — safe and
secure quality transport, a well maintained and fully integrated
network, more environmentally sustainable transport, keeping the
Community at the forefront of transport services and technologies,
protecting and developing the human capital, smart prices as traffic
signals and planning with an eye with to transport improving accessibility;
- discussion, under seven headings, of the use
of possible policy instruments to respond to the challenge of
sustainable transport — infrastructure, funding, technology,
the legislative framework, behaviour, governance and the external
dimension; and
- a brief final section in which the Commission
encouraged contributions to the consultation exercise by 30 September
2009, said it will be organising a stakeholder conference in autumn
2009 and noted its intention to produce a White Paper setting
out policy measures to be adopted in the decade 2010-2020.
22.4 When we considered this document, in July 2009,
we heard that the Government, whilst noting that the Communication
was not a legislative proposal and gave rise to no immediate and
specific policy considerations, held that it provided a welcome
opportunity to influence the development of policy options well
in advance of the next White Paper. The Government's more specific
comments added, amongst other matters that:
- the Government broadly accepted
the range of trends and challenges in the Communication, but public
consultation would provide an opportunity to validate all sections
and identify any gaps;
- the Government's main concerns were that the
Communication did not indicate any real prioritisation and direction
at this stage or provide a sufficient review of the successes
and failings of past Community policies;
- the Government would seek views on policy options
for public stakeholders, but a key objective for the Government
in the development of transport policy was to move towards a low
carbon transport system, whilst continuing to support economic
competitiveness; and
- the Government intended to carry out a public
consultation to contribute to the development of the its formal
response to the Commission.
22.5 We commented that the proposed White Paper would
be an important driver of Community transport policy developments
in the decade from 2010. So, given its intended role in preparing
the White Paper, before considering the Communication further
we asked to see the outcome of the Government's consultation and
its consequent response to the document. Meanwhile it remained
under scrutiny.[90]
The Minister's letter
22.6 The Minister of State, Department for Transport
(Mr Sadiq Khan), writes now about the Government's consultation
and its response to the Commission. He says that:
- the Government's public consultation
on the Communication closed on 7 September 2009 and 34 responses
were received;
- a short summary of the consultation has been
produced and submitted to the Commission;[91]
and
- the responses contributed to the development
of a "high level UK response" which has also been submitted
by the Commission's deadline.[92]
The Minister comments that the consultation provided
a valuable insight on future trends and priorities. He notes that:
- respondents broadly agreed
with the Commission's vision;
- but were concerned that there was a general lack
of direction in the Communication and only limited policy instruments;
and
- there was near consensus support for the need
to move to a low or no carbon transport system.
22.7 The Minister says that the Government's response
to the Commission:
- proposes that the next White
Paper should focus on supporting a liberalised, integrated and
decarbonised Community transport system;
- emphasises the opportunity the Community has
to lead the world in the rapid move to a low carbon future whilst
continuing to support economic prosperity;
- says the White Paper must look beyond the next
decade and must properly consider long term priorities;
- says regulation should be risk based and proportionate
and non-regulatory approaches should be used wherever possible;
- says the Council, Commission and European Parliament
must work together to deliver these goals whilst ensuring that
all people and goods are able to move freely, safely, securely
and efficiently throughout the single market; and
- rather than focusing on the trends and challenges,
identifies priorities for action.
22.8 The Government's response, under the heading
"Key principles for the EU Future of Transport Policy Review",
says:
"The UK would expect any future White Paper
proposals to be guided by the following overarching principles:
"Leading the World in the rapid transition
to a low carbon economy and transport system by implementing policies
like Aviation emissions trading and an ambitious but achievable
target on New Van CO2.
"Delivering significant EU projects, such
as SESAR and Galileo, through to implementation on time and budget,
making full use of programme and project management techniques
and ensuring Value for Money.
"Creating a regulatory environment that
will allow the EU's business to prosper and the EU's citizens
to move freely and efficiently throughout Europe using truly liberalised
and competitive transport operations across all modes including
realising the vision of a single rail market.
"Acknowledging the vital role that transport
plays in wider environment, energy, trade, regional, and other
EU policy ensuring that the Directorate Generals are joined-up
in discussions and policy-making, and by making best use of impact
assessments to meet the challenge of balancing competing objectives.
"Driving innovation through R&D and
setting standards that are technology neutral, create investor
certainty and deliver clearly defined and rigorous goals. Within
each mode, move the EU as fast as it is economically, socially
and technologically viable to lower carbon options. Providing
information and raising awareness about the benefits of behaviour
change.
"Recognising the potential economies of
scale and weight of influence that EU level action can deliver
whilst respecting subsidiarity and the differences between Member
States and between transport modes."
Conclusion
22.9 We are grateful to the Minister for the information
he has now provided. Clearly, as we said earlier the proposed
White Paper will be an important driver of Community transport
policy developments in the decade from 2010. And we are sure that
once published we and Members more generally will wish to see
it debated. Meanwhile we clear this document.
89 (22660) 11932/01: see HC 152-xv (2001-02), chapter
2 (30 January 2002) and Stg Co Debs European Standing Committee
A, 13 March 2002, cols. 3-28. Back
90
See headnote. Back
91
See http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/closed/eucommunication/summary.pdf.
Back
92
See http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/closed/eucommunication/ukresponse.pdf.
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