Maritime taxonomy: new study on “sustainable” maritime transports
In accordance with the EU Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the EU is preparing a new legislative package, which should be published during summer of 2021, with the aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and make the EU climate-neutral by 2050.
During the ECOFIN meeting of 22 May 2021 in Lisbon, one of the topics concerned the review of energy taxation, in the perspective to promote renewable energy sources. The review is consistent with the goals of the European Green Deal. In particular, in energy taxation the areas mostly involved concerned maritime and aviation fuel consumption.
On the 4th of May, the European Commission publish a new study reporting which forms of maritime transport and related activities could be considered sustainable. As the EC reported, the study is linked to ongoing work on the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance initiative.
Transport workers, operators and shippers unite to lift global standards on driver treatment
The Global Shippers’ Alliance (GSA), the International Road Transport Union (IRU), and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), have launched the so-called “Driver Charter” that lays out commitments for shippers, transport operators and drivers to lift global standards for drivers. The main objective of the charter is to improve the treatment of drivers at collection and delivery sites, such as the improvement of working conditions. The Charter stresses the importance to join common values and promoting cooperation between the road transport industry operators. The Charter includes commitments for all parties and specific commitment for shippers, transport operators, drivers.
Driver Charter: https://support-our-drivers.org/charter/
Imbalance between supply and demand in maritime freight transport in the ceramic industry
On April, The European Ceramic Industry Association, Cerame-Unie, issued a statement jointly with the European Shippers Council (ESC) arguing that a lack of transparency in the shipping industry has created a glaring imbalance between freight buyers and carriers.
According to Cerame-Unie, the Covid-19 Pandemic has driven up the costs of shipping goods and disrupted global trade and has had a significant impact on global trade. Cerame-Unie joins with the European Shippers’ Council’s in calling on the Commission to take prompt action to increase transparency and supervise the collaboration between different operators in the shipping industry to ultimately redress the current imbalances and prevent similar situations from occurring again in the future.
Drones: Commission adopts new rules and conditions for safe, secure and greens drone operation
On 22 April 2021, the European Commission adopted the U-space package, consisting in three regulations that together create the condition necessary for both package both drones and aircraft to operate safely. The U-space package is included in the “Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy”, which lays the foundations of an innovative EU transport system to reach a green and digital transformation.
As regards the use of drones, these three regulations introduce new services for drone operators, allowing them to carry out more complex and longer-distance operations, also when out of sight. The U-space creates and harmonises the conditions needed for manned and unmanned aircraft to operate safely, to prevent collisions between drones and other aircraft, and to mitigate the risks of drone traffic on the ground.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is now preparing all the needed technical specifications (Acceptable Means of Compliance/Guidance Material) in order to allow the industry and competent authorities to prepare for implementation.
Urban Air Mobility
On May 19, The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published a new study about the possibility to introduce a new revolutionary mode of transport. The Study, called “Study on the societal acceptance of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) in Europe”, tests public opinion on the introduction of a new air transportation system both for passengers and cargo in and around urban environment. In the optimistic expectation that these technologies might be deployed it in three to five years in the major cities, the UAM has the purpose to promote a greener and faster mobility solutions.
The study examined the attitudes, expectations, and concerns of 4000 citizens in 5 European cities (Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Budapest, and Hamburg). Despite the high percentage of respondents have a very positive or rather positive attitude towards UAM (overall 83%). However, it is also clear that this suppose is mostly for medical or emergency transport (such as the transportation of injured persons to hospital or medical supplies).
The 4000 also had concerns including the increasing of noise in the cities, the safety of those mechanisms and environment impact. The Study also questioned the participants whether legislation in this area should be European, national or even local. The outcome was quite balanced: the idea of a European initiative a bit more “well-accepted” than national, regional, or local ones.
Roadmap on a new urban mobility framework
Another initiative is currently being examined by the European Commission. In order to develop safe, accessible, inclusive and zero-emission urban mobility, the adoption of a new framework would enhance the 2013 urban mobility package and promote the European 2050 climate target.
Public consultations are scheduled for the first quarter 2021 and the Commission adoption is planned for the third quarter 2021.
Vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods
On May 12, the Council of the European Union published a Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2006/1/EC on the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road.
The Proposal is presented with the aim of taking a general approach, codifying earlier rules and providing a minimum level of market opening for the use of vehicles hired without carriage of goods by road between Member States, both for undertakings established in their territories and undertaking established in another Member State.
Revision of Driving Licences Directive 2006/12/EC
The European Commission is working on a revision of the current EU Directive on driving licences (Directive 2006/126/EC), with the aim to improve road safety and to facilitate the free movement of persons in the EU, making cross-border movement easier. The new initiative will consider new challenges for mobility, taking into account also the goals of the EU Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.
The new initiative’s purpose is to tackle several problems such as the excessive number of road crashes, the lack of recognition of digital or virtual driving licences outside the territory of the issuing Member State, the use of new technologies and mobility concepts for what concerns environments performance.
The time to submit feedback has just been closed (23 April 2021 - 21 May 2021). The next step in the road map is a public consultation planned for the fourth quarter 2022.
State aid: Commission approves 3.7-million-euro Polish aid to promote shift of freight transport to rail
In the line with the goals of the European Green Deal, the European Commission has approved an individual aid measure to promote the shift of freight transport from road to rail in the Polish south-eastern province of Podkarpackie.
The Commission considered the intervention was necessary, otherwise market operators would not have sufficient incentives to carry out investments into such infrastructure.
This article is for information purposes only and is not, and cannot be intended as, a professional opinion on the topics dealt with. For further information please contact Bernard O'Connor.
