Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-09-03-Speech-3-429"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20080903.29.3-429"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"−
Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, firstly I should like to thank the shadow rapporteurs most sincerely in connection with the report on freight transport in Europe as well as the secretariat of the Committee on Transport and Tourism, particularly Mr Catot. Cooperation was fruitful, not least because it showed that the report had been unanimously accepted in committee without any negative votes or abstentions.
Despite the unanimous vote, my group put forward amendments because some votes in committee were extremely close. The most important amendment concerns the challenge to the Commission to specify the areas of major congestion and problems in the European rail freight transport system. This kind of analysis is necessary in order to quickly eliminate the weak spots in the rail network and thus create greater capacity. The Commission itself, incidentally, has very much welcomed this idea and I hope that tomorrow – during the vote in plenary – a majority will be obtained on this.
Many thanks once again to all my fellow Members and for their attentiveness.
Europe’s citizens are increasingly suffering under the burden of rising freight traffic, particularly on the roads. My report strives to bring the scourge of the lorry under control. The European Commission has clear objectives for its action plan on freight transport, which it wants to introduce soon.
The independent rail freight network in Europe is unequivocally rejected. Even if it is a pleasant dream, mixed traffic is in most countries comfortable on tracks, i.e. freight and passenger trains travel on the same tracks. The utilisation of existing infrastructure must therefore be improved at every technical and logistical opportunity and – of course – must also be extended when necessary.
The report on the Commission’s idea of ‘green corridors’ has provided greater substance. Transport should be shifted on to environmentally friendly modes of transport in order to reduce not only accidents, congestion and noise, but also air pollution and encroachment on the countryside. Renewable energies ought to have an important role in this, whereupon wind and solar power are expressly mentioned in the report.
With the acceptance of the user and polluter pays principles for all modes of transport, the report also delivers a clear message in the debate on the Eurovignette: transport by heavily polluting lorries should no longer be subsidised, and external costs must be completely internalised.
… and particularly for aircraft.
Shifting freight traffic from road to rail remains a central aim. For this reason the report is demanding a minimum investment of 40% of EU transport funds in the railways. Only around 17% of freight is transported by rail in Europe. In the highway country of the United States, however, the proportion is 40%. The EU will only be able to deal with the increase in freight traffic if it improves its rail infrastructure. The Member States’ transport ministers are being asked as a matter of urgency to look beyond their national perspectives and make the investments necessary for Europe in their own countries.
Interconnection of transport modes is also important. A standard carriage document is also required for shipment by sea, rail, lorry and aircraft, a European maritime transport space without barriers, a not only European, but also worldwide standard for intermodal loading units and, in particular, a better connection between maritime and river ports and the hinterland’s road and rail network."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata | |
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples