Mobility and transport

Commissioner Tzitzikostas has hosted a high-level roundtable as part of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the Automotive Industry, launched by President von der Leyen on 30 January 2025. The discussion brought together key European industry leaders, social partners and stakeholders to discuss enabling conditions for the transition of Europe's automotive industry and value chain to clean and smart mobility, fostering collaboration and shaping the sector's future. These discussions are part of an inclusive and collaborative process to address the critical challenges facing the sector. The replies to an open public consultation on the future of the European automotive industry and the output of this consultative process and Working Group discussions will inform the EU Industrial Action Plan for the automotive sector, to be presented on 5 March.

The Commission welcomes the Council's adoption of the 16th Russia sanctions package. As Russia's illegal aggression enters its fourth year, this package is designed to further ramp up pressure on the aggressor and is part of the EU's unwavering commitment to just and lasting peace for Ukraine. The package targets sectors that are important for the Russian economy, such as energy, trade, transport, infrastructure, and financial services. It also adds measures aimed at further tackling circumvention.

The second edition of the European Maritime Transport Environmental Report, released on 4 February, provides a comprehensive overview of the environmental impact of Europe's maritime sector within the EU, as well as an assessment of how to make it more sustainable. According to the report, the sector is making progress towards greater sustainability, but will need to do more in the coming years to play its part in the EU meeting its climate and environment goals.

The Commission has adopted a crucial measure to step up maritime safety and environmental protection within EU waters. Amending the Vessel Monitoring Directive (2002/59/EC), the new proposal will require all ships entering areas of mandatory ship reporting systems (MRS), even those simply transiting the EU coastlines without entering an EU port, to provide proof of adequate insurance.

The Commission has participated in the Fourth Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech, Morocco. As a global advocate for safer roads, the Commission is committed to driving evidence-based policymaking and supporting initiatives that reduce road casualties worldwide. At the conference, the Commission unveiled EU-funded technical support for the African Road Safety Observatory, hosted by the African Union Commission. This collaborative effort is aimed at strengthening the observatory's capacity to address the unique road safety challenges faced by African nations.

The Commission has selected 39 innovative projects across the EU, dedicated to deploying alternative fuels infrastructure, for funding. Receiving EUR 22 million between them, provided through the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF), the projects will drive the transition to cleaner transport. They will install public electric recharging stations, including high-power megawatt chargers for both heavy-duty and light-duty vehicles, develop hydrogen refuelling stations and onshore power installations in ports, electrify airports, and provide infrastructure for alternative fuels such as ammonia and methanol for shipping.

The Commission’s Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM) has fulfilled the objectives outlined in its Work Programme 2023-2024 by delivering the last set of insightful reports. These include recommendations and feedback on a wide range of topics. The recommendations cover Sustainable Urban Logistics Plans (SULPs), strategic frameworks designed to optimise the transport of goods within urban areas, and aiming to both reduce environmental impact and improve efficiency.

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 established 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. 174 million tonnes of Ukrainian exports and about 70 million tonnes of imports.

On 20 February 2025, Benidorm (Spain) held the official launch ceremony marking its year as the 2025 European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism. The European Commission awarded the title to Benidorm after it impressed the European jury with its smart tourism management practices, such as smart water and energy systems, its focus on accessibility and adaptation to climate change. The ceremony took place in the Plaza de la Hispanidad, where the city has installed the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism sculpture.

Torino (Italy) is embracing a new era, transforming from an industrial powerhouse into a flourishing tourism destination. As the 2025 European Capital of Smart Tourism, Torino is leading by example with initiatives that highlight its achievements in accessibility, sustainability, digitalisation, and cultural heritage. These forward-thinking efforts not only enhance the visitor experience but also set a new benchmark for other destinations.

The latest Road Transport Research (RTR) conference attracted its largest audience to date, with more than 500 participants on-site and 400 participants joining online. The high level of participation is testimony tothe RTR conference’s pivotal role in supporting the European research and innovation (R&I) ecosystem in all fields of road transport: infrastructure, road safety, decarbonisation, digitalisation, urban mobility, as well freight and logistics.

The report on the 2024 EU-US Symposium provides strategic recommendations to advance transatlantic collaboration in transport research and innovation. The report summarises key insights from the discussions, and highlights uncertainties and knowledge gaps on transportation decarbonisation for further research. The EU-US Transportation Research Symposium is an annual event co-organised by the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Helmets, seatbelts and child restraint systems are all examples of protective equipment with demonstrated effectiveness. Although considered passive or secondary safety devices because they do not help to prevent crashes, they can nevertheless prevent deaths and serious injuries. However, their correct use is far from universal. Find out more in this article by the European Road Safety Charter.

At ITB Berlin 2025, the winners of the European Capital and Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism competitions will present their approaches to smart and sustainable tourism. Come and meet representatives from Turin and Benidorm at the EU Smart Tourism stand.

The European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, will host a Youth Policy Dialogue on 6 March, from 11.00-13.00, in Brussels. The dialogue will bring together around 20 young participants from across the EU to discuss the theme: "Shaping the Future: Expectations and Needs of Young Travellers and Job Seekers". The insights gathered from this exchange will help shape future policies, ensuring that the voices and priorities of young people are reflected in the development of transport and mobility initiatives.

The EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award celebrates municipalities that have excelled in promoting sustainable urban mobility during the campaign’s main week of 16-22 September. The MOBILITYACTION Award was launched by the European Commission in 2022 to acknowledge excellence in mobility management planning solutions submitted by businesses, institutions, civil society organisations, citizen initiatives or municipalities. The annual theme in 2024 for both awards was ‘shared public space’.

The EU-Ukraine Business Summit will serve as a platform for deepening Ukraine’s economic integration with the European Union and fostering stronger cooperation and opportunities for European businesses. Co-organised by the European Commission, with the support of the Mission of Ukraine to the EU, Italy and the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, the summit will provide an update on key EU financial instruments and cooperation mechanisms in order to bolster investment in Ukraine. Director-General Magda Kopczyńska will participate in the panel ‘Reconstructing Ukraine and Reindustrialising Europe: A Shared Economic Future’ on 10 April from 11:45 to 13:00.

Share your feedback! This initiative lays down requirements for interoperable data sharing in rail transport for: capacity and traffic management, as well as train preparation; management of wagons and their freight; rail ticketing and passenger information.

To help EU hotels to measure and communicate about their sustainability, stakeholders are invited to participate in a consultation to establish new rules for assessing the environmental impact of hotel accommodation services – the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules. The consultation is open to all stakeholders, including industry representatives, environmental organisations, consumer organisations, policy authorities, and the general public.

The SESAR Joint Undertaking has announced two calls under its Digital European Sky research and innovation programme, within the framework of Horizon Europe. With a combined budget of EUR 254 million, these calls mark the first steps in executing the new European ATM Master Plan, the comprehensive roadmap for transforming air traffic management in Europe, published in December 2024.

The Commission has published a Communication outlining the path to the next long-term EU budget. Have your say in one of the Public Consultations that are open to all EU citizens. Your opinion is highly valued and will play a role in shaping the future of both European transport and the multiannual budget.

Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail) has just launched its Call for Proposals 2025-1. The Call seeks potential solutions to address current transport challenges and enhance the performance of the existing rail system through the introduction of Maglev-Derived Transport Systems (MDS). It aims to find solutions on the technical open points of maglev-derived technologies. The overall indicative budget for this Call is 3 million EUR.