Sweden is best placed to take on EU road safety challenges
With the formation of the new European Parliament after June’s elections, preparations for the
change in the European Commission College and an expected referendum on the Lisbon Treaty
in Ireland in the autumn, Sweden has a difficult tenure ahead as the next EU Presidency holder.
Despite these formidable changes in the EU political landscape looming ahead, the country is
probably best placed to lead the EU towards putting road safety at the core of the EU transport
policies during its term.
Sweden is the undisputed EU road safety champion. In 2008 it had the lowest number of road accident victims since 1934. It actively pursues its national Vision Zero goal which envisages no roaddeaths or severe injuries as a result of traffic accidents in the long term. This gives it a unique authority to promote further ambitious road death reduction targets for the EU 4th Road Safety
Action Programme (RSAP) for 2010-2020. Sweden should also secure a tough EU target for 2050 to further reduce road deaths. This should be included in the “Future of Transport” White Paper.
For this next decennial strategy ETSC has proposed a shared target of 40% reduction of road
deaths with a further target to reduce serious injuries in each Member State by 20%. ETSC also
recommends the EU to adopt a target of 60% reduction of child deaths between 2010 and 2020.
To achieve these or similar targets, the necessary mechanisms should be put in place: cross border enforcement of traffic law and promotion of Intelligent Transport Systems, including Intelligent Speed Assistance, Alcohol Interlocks and Seat Belt Reminders for all seats. The next EU Presidency should take the initiative in setting up legislative and regulatory framework for the above instruments.
Another big priority for Sweden is to achieve a new global deal on climate change at the next UNFCC in Copenhagen in December. In the EU, road transport generates about one fifth of the EU’s CO2 emissions, with passenger cars responsible for around 12%. These emissions have risen between 1990 and 2004 by 26%. The Swedish Presidency should raise the issue that speed reduction and speed limit enforcement on Europe’s roads would directly lower the level of CO2 emissions in the EU and help it to live up to its promises of curbing greenhouse gases by 20% by 2020.
European Cyclists’ Federation which is being developed in different countries by a wide range of partners. It reviews the market for cycle tourism in Europe and presents a model of demand for EuroVelo.
With a total budget of 450 million EUR over the 2007-2013 period for the Marco Polo programme, funding requests are decreasing each year, showing a lack of interest on the part of potential candidates. The Commission attributes it to the poor level of financing and the complexity of the programme.
In order to re-motivate potential candidates, MEPs support the proposal by the Commission to double the level of financingof these projects.
Transport future goes under debate
On 17 June the European Commission adopted a communication ‘A sustainable future for
transport: Towards an integrated, technology- led and user friendly system’. The document
presents the EU executive’s vision on the sector’s future development and launches a public consultation which will lead to the publications of a new White Paper on the Common Transport Policy for 2010-2020 next year.
The Commission sees the industry’s key trends and challenges in the ageing of the population, environment, immigration and growing urbanisation. On environment, it has recognised that the growth in transport activities has not been on a par with with its environmental progress.
change in the European Commission College and an expected referendum on the Lisbon Treaty
in Ireland in the autumn, Sweden has a difficult tenure ahead as the next EU Presidency holder.
Despite these formidable changes in the EU political landscape looming ahead, the country is
probably best placed to lead the EU towards putting road safety at the core of the EU transport
policies during its term.
Sweden is the undisputed EU road safety champion. In 2008 it had the lowest number of road accident victims since 1934. It actively pursues its national Vision Zero goal which envisages no roaddeaths or severe injuries as a result of traffic accidents in the long term. This gives it a unique authority to promote further ambitious road death reduction targets for the EU 4th Road Safety
Action Programme (RSAP) for 2010-2020. Sweden should also secure a tough EU target for 2050 to further reduce road deaths. This should be included in the “Future of Transport” White Paper.
For this next decennial strategy ETSC has proposed a shared target of 40% reduction of road
deaths with a further target to reduce serious injuries in each Member State by 20%. ETSC also
recommends the EU to adopt a target of 60% reduction of child deaths between 2010 and 2020.
To achieve these or similar targets, the necessary mechanisms should be put in place: cross border enforcement of traffic law and promotion of Intelligent Transport Systems, including Intelligent Speed Assistance, Alcohol Interlocks and Seat Belt Reminders for all seats. The next EU Presidency should take the initiative in setting up legislative and regulatory framework for the above instruments.
Another big priority for Sweden is to achieve a new global deal on climate change at the next UNFCC in Copenhagen in December. In the EU, road transport generates about one fifth of the EU’s CO2 emissions, with passenger cars responsible for around 12%. These emissions have risen between 1990 and 2004 by 26%. The Swedish Presidency should raise the issue that speed reduction and speed limit enforcement on Europe’s roads would directly lower the level of CO2 emissions in the EU and help it to live up to its promises of curbing greenhouse gases by 20% by 2020.
European Cyclists’ Federation which is being developed in different countries by a wide range of partners. It reviews the market for cycle tourism in Europe and presents a model of demand for EuroVelo.
With a total budget of 450 million EUR over the 2007-2013 period for the Marco Polo programme, funding requests are decreasing each year, showing a lack of interest on the part of potential candidates. The Commission attributes it to the poor level of financing and the complexity of the programme.
In order to re-motivate potential candidates, MEPs support the proposal by the Commission to double the level of financingof these projects.
Transport future goes under debate
On 17 June the European Commission adopted a communication ‘A sustainable future for
transport: Towards an integrated, technology- led and user friendly system’. The document
presents the EU executive’s vision on the sector’s future development and launches a public consultation which will lead to the publications of a new White Paper on the Common Transport Policy for 2010-2020 next year.
The Commission sees the industry’s key trends and challenges in the ageing of the population, environment, immigration and growing urbanisation. On environment, it has recognised that the growth in transport activities has not been on a par with with its environmental progress.
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