The European Commission (DG MOVE) is currently conducting an evaluation of the 2011 White Paper ‘Roadmap to a single European transport area – towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system’. The aim of the evaluation is to collect and analyse evidence to help assess whether it has achieved its objectives in an effective and efficient manner. Recently, the Commission organised a consultation on the 2011 white paper and on the future European Strategy for a Sustainable and Smart Mobility.

The consultation looked at the transport needs identified in the white paper, the objectives and goals that were set, the proposed initiatives and the outcomes that have been achieved, as well as the overall impact of the strategy since it was put in place.

In addition, the consultation looked at future EU actions in the field of transport and mobility, notably in the context of the Communication on the European Green Deal adopted by the European Commission in December 2019 and the preparation of a new Strategy for a Sustainable and Smart Mobility, to be put forward by the European Commission before the end of 2020.

EPF submitted a response, in which it highlighted, among other things, the failure to implement the ‘polluter pays’ principle, the growing awareness of the public health impacts of transport and synchro-mobility to address the needs of making end-to-end journeys. In the part on the future strategy, EPF highlighted, among others, the need to understand the longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on people’s behaviour, attitudes to travel, choices and demands, and also the need to explore the interaction of transport with public health.

EPF’s full response can be found here.

The European Commission also consulted on the New Consumer Agenda, which should set out the main consumer policy priorities in the EU for the years to come.

In its response, EPF highlighted that there should be a comprehensive framework of passenger protection based on principles applicable across all modes (including package travel) and that consumer rights’ protection should be straight-forward to understand and easily accessible for all consumers, whatever their level of education.

EPF said the main priorities should be:

• Better supporting consumers to adapt to more sustainable and environmentally friendly consumption
• Better supporting consumers to benefit from the increasing digitisation
• More effective enforcement of consumer rights

In addition, EPF asked for financial support of organisations representing whole categories of consumers at European level, such as passengers.

EPF’s full response can be found here.