HLG Public Debate Results and Recommendations - Speech by Keir Fitch

PUBLIC DEBATE RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EU PUBLIC-PRIVATE HIGH LEVEL GROUP (HLG) “SMART MOVE” Venue - European Parliament, Room ASP 1G3 Wednesday, 15 May 2013, 13:00-15:00 Speaking points: 

The High Level Group has been an excellent initiative that brought around the table all the main stakeholders of the sector for a constructive dialogue aiming to address the main issues of passenger mobility by road.

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The increase in the use (and in the modal share) of collective transport is a target fully in line with the vision and the objectives of the White Paper. This is particularly the case with regard to CO2 reduction and the use of more energy-efficient modes. In addition, greater use of collective transport will substantially contribute to a reduction in the number of road casualties. In contrast to passenger cars, buses and coaches belong to the most safe, economically efficient and environmentally friendly modes of transport.

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The Commission was a very grateful – and active - participant in the work of the High Level Group. We very much welcomed the spirit to openly discuss all the issues raised and at the same to realistically explore alternatives to address them.

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The High Level Group focussed on three main topics related to the collective passenger transport by road, namely the intercity and long-distance regular lines, the occasional services mainly dealing with group tourism as well as the urban mobility and commuting, including taxis as part of the public transport chain. The recommendations of the High Level Group cover the short, medium and long-term horizon and they are quite comprehensive. I don't wish to repeat what has been already said but I would like to highlight some key elements.

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Since a long time, the European Union has adopted a comprehensive set of rules to facilitate the access to the international market for coach and bus services. The established regulatory framework is operating well and has provided a solid platform for the operations in question. Inter alia, this legal framework has liberalised a number of services, including certain types of cabotage operations and has set up clear and simple rules governing the rest of the services. Since 2011 the rules have been included in a single act offering more clarity and transparency to all parties involved.

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To reinforce this framework, the EU also adopted a regulation concerning the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport. The Regulation entered into force quite recently, aiming to ensure that passengers benefit from the same basic standards of treatment wherever they travel in the Union. The correct application of the passenger rights rules has been a true challenge in other modes of transport. The road transport industry is now called to uphold its good repute in this field. As correctly noted in the

High Level Group's recommendations, this will be one of the main challenges for the sector in the short term. 

Another area of interest, directly related to passengers' needs, is the provision of better information and modern services to customers. The modern technologies have a big role to play and the Union is dedicating resources for the appropriate development of intelligent transport systems and relevant applications. These include the multi-journey planners, e-ticketing and others. These elements should aim at making collective passenger transport by road more attractive and more user-friendly.

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At the same time, it needs to be underlined that the overall effort should include all modes of collective passenger transport. Intermodality is a key aspect in this regard.

The urban and inter-urban transport systems should be designed in such a way that the passenger can make the best combination in order to travel smoothly and efficiently. It is only when intermodality becomes truly hassle-free that we can properly challenge the dominance of the car. This is obviously not only an issue of information systems and application, but also of the physical infrastructure: terminals, dedicated lanes and so on.

As I think the High Level Group has wisely done, the various modes should not be regarded primarily as in competition with each other, but as necessary links in the same transport chain which places the user and his needs at the heart of the whole system.

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In order to facilitate the effort, the Commission is ready to take, where necessary, the appropriate initiatives in order to accommodate the needs of the sector and to reduce administrative formalities and documents. The recent Commission proposal for the increase of the maximum weight of two-axle coaches to 19 tonnes is a step to this direction. Moreover, the current regime on international transport by coach offers certain possibilities to Member States to simplify the procedures and the relevant documentation.

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The ambitious target of doubling the use and modal share of collective transport raises challenges and expectations that can only be met through systematic work, clear objectives and targeted initiatives. It is a goal fully compatible with the Union's objectives for sustainable growth and competitiveness. The Commission is ready to cooperate with the other institutions, the industry and the stakeholders in order to turn this goal into a reality that will drastically improve the everyday life of the European citizens.

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The outcome of the work of the High Level Group, as will be presented and discussed today, is an important step in this direction. The Commission will maintain an active role in the follow-up initiatives in order to maintain the momentum of such an important initiative. ***