Mobility and transport

The European Commission presented proposals to modernise driving licence rules, including the introduction of a digital driving licence valid throughout the EU, and new provisions to facilitate the enforcement of traffic rules across borders. More than 20,000 lives were lost on EU roads last year and the majority of victims were pedestrians, cyclists and users of scooters and motorbikes. The new rules will improve safety for all road users, and will help the EU achieve its Vision Zero – having no deaths on EU roads by 2050.

The European Commission welcomed the political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council to boost the number of publicly accessible electric recharging and hydrogen refuelling stations across the European Union's main transport corridors and hubs. This is a landmark agreement that will enable the transition to zero-emission transport and contribute to our target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. The new Regulation for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR) sets mandatory deployment targets for electric recharging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. This Regulation will end consumer concerns about the difficulty to recharge or refuel a vehicle, and also paves the way for a user-friendly recharging and refuelling experience, with full price transparency, common minimum payment options and coherent customer information across the EU.

The modernisation of 178 km of the Palermo-Catania line will reduce current travel times by a third, linking the two cities with a direct two-hour rail service, which will have a significant impact on economic, social, and sustainable development in Sicily.