Mobility and transport

The European Commission has selected 134 transport projects to receive over €7 billion in EU grants from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU's instrument for strategic investment in infrastructure. This represents the largest call under the current CEF Transport programme. Around 83% of the funding will support projects that deliver on the EU’s climate objectives, improving and modernising the EU network of railways, inland waterways and maritime routes along the trans-European transport (TEN-T) network. Rail projects will receive 80% of the €7 billion. Funding will go to major projects to improve cross-border rail connections along the TEN-T core network – for example, in the Baltic Member States (Rail Baltica), between France and Italy (Lyon-Turin), and between Denmark and Germany (Fehmarnbelt tunnel).

The Ship Financing Portal, designed to improve access to financing for the shipping sector and the wider maritime industry, is now online! The platform, launched by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, provides a repository of available financial tools needed to drive fleet renewal and retrofitting, enhance efficiency, and reduce environmental impact – your go-to resource if you want to renew your fleet, invest in green tech or new projects.

The European Commission has released an overview of the latest developments in the EU transport sector, highlighting trends and issues for both the EU and individual Member States. Transport is crucial to our economy, with 1.3 million public and private companies employing 10.2 million people and providing goods and services across the EU. From 1995 to 2019, the volume of transported goods increased by 41%, and the transport of passengers grew by 33%, before the COVID-19 pandemic caused a temporary drop.

The European Union and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing global aviation safety, security, and sustainability during a meeting in Montreal. Co-chaired by Magda Kopczyńska, Director-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission, and Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of ICAO, this EU-ICAO Joint Committee meeting focused on advancing collaborative efforts in international civil aviation. During the meeting, both parties signed agreements to increase cooperation in capacity building, technical assistance, and implementation support, as well as in continuous monitoring activities in aviation security.

A new report from the European Road Safety Observatory shows that protective equipment such as helmets, seatbelts and child restraint systems have been very effective in protecting road users from death or serious injury. If used correctly, motorcycle helmets can reduce fatal crashes by around 40% and the chance of severe head injury by almost 70%. Similarly, bicycle helmets can reduce fatal injury to the head or brain by 71% on average.

The Commission published revised interpretative guidelines on air passenger rights that will facilitate compliance with regulations and harmonise enforcement by national bodies. Since 2016, the Commission has been providing guidelines to address common concerns raised by national enforcement bodies, passengers and their associations, and industry representatives. Today’s revision notably takes into account rulings by the Court of Justice since 2016 that clarify certain provisions, allowing for more effective and consistent enforcement of the rules. A new section on massive travel disruptions has also been added.

The Regulation supports the transition towards more sustainable transport by mandating the gradual uptake of renewable and low-carbon fuels and the use of onshore power supply in ports to reduce greenhouse emissions and air pollution from the maritime shipping sector. The Regulation will apply in full from 1 January 2025, while its Articles 8 and 9 on monitoring plans will apply from 31 August 2024.

The award to Airbus of a Type Certificate for the A321XLR marks the end of a certification process for the European Union Aviation Safety Agency that lasted more than five years. Airbus’s aim for the new model was to offer a narrowbody aircraft which has additional fuel capacity and so is suited to long-haul flights.

The agenda for the 2019-2024 mandate was set when the European Green Deal was adopted in 2019. It tasked the EU with cutting transport emissions by 90% by 2050. Alongside a focus on sustainability, this mandate has also seen emphasis on digital technologies for greater efficiency, safety and convenience; solidarity with Ukraine; support for the EU’s transport sector as it recovered from COVID-19; and conditions for Europe’s travelling public and transport workers. Check out the Commission’s work to create a sustainable, smart, safe and resilient transport network!

In the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU, together with Ukraine and Moldova launched the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes in May 2022. They establish new transport routes to keep Ukraine’s imports and exports flowing via rail, road and inland waterways. Today, the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes have become a lifeline for Ukraine’s economy, having transported ca. 145 million tonnes of Ukrainian exports and nearly 56 million tonnes of imports.

The Summit will shed new light on autonomy in shipping, and address what is really meant by MASS (Maritime Autonomous Ships and Shipping). Held for the first time in Germany, the event is co-organised by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Mobility and Transport and will be particularly relevant for maritime and inland shipping stakeholders. Registration will open soon.

European Mobility Week runs from 16 - 22 September every year, providing towns and cities with an opportunity to host a car-free day for all, accompanied by activities and innovative planning measures to promote new infrastructure and raise awareness of sustainable mobility options, such as public transport, walking and cycling.

The European Commission, the European Union Agency for Railways and the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking are teaming up for InnoTrans 2024, from 24 to 27 September in Berlin. The joint EU stand will host numerous events and showcase some of the latest rail innovations. Find us in hall 27, stand 511!

Join us for the 2024 Women in Rail Awards in Berlin! The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 24 September 2024, at the EU stand at InnoTrans in Berlin.

Find out who will win this year’s awards and hear more about road safety best practice from across Europe. Registration is open now!

The European Commission has launched two new calls for projects under Horizon Europe's Work Programme for 2023-2024 Cluster 5 – which groups together topics on climate action, energy and mobility.