Documents considered by the Committee on 14 October 2009, including the following recommendations for debate: Security of gas supply, Financial management - European Scrutiny Committee Contents


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
DepartmentTransport
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 assessmentPolitically important
Committee's decisionCleared

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.  Back


 
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