General Assembly

North Sea Commission - Adopted Resolution at 11th General Assembly 2002

A Resolution in Response to the European Transport Policy for 2010:Time to Decide

The North Sea Commission is resolved to respond to the European Commission White Paper, European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide, launched in September 2001 as follows:- 

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Many of the proposals put forward in the White Paper for the future direction of European transport are welcomed and supported by the North Sea Commission, in particular the need for improvements in rail freight to offset the potential problems of transfer to road of freight in the new accession countries. The predominance of road transport that is the root cause of many problems that affect the economy of Europe and the well being and health of its citizens, and the resulting congestion in many areas, is putting our economic competitiveness at risk. However, the NSC has a number of major concerns over important matters which have not been adequately addressed in the White Paper; these pertain to three fundamental areas:- 

Peripherality,
Personal Mobility,
Modal Shift.

Peripherality 

Much of the North Sea Commission’s area is on the periphery of Europe and is economically fragile due to a heavy reliance on extractive and other indigenous industries. The European Commission is therefore right to state that paralysis at the periphery will occur if the issue of accessibility of such outlying and remote areas is not tackled.

It is believed that although the need to tackle regional imbalance is identified, there is too little to solve the problem of peripherality in the movement of goods, with too much attention being paid to movement within the core regions. Where peripherality is targeted, there is a preoccupation with linking the periphery to core. Consideration also needs to be given to linking outlying regions together; otherwise there may be the danger of developing the centre at the expense of the periphery.

Personal Mobility 

The White Paper recognises that personal mobility is now perceived to be an acquired right, a key problem that affects congestion and, therefore, the economy, safety and personal health. The European Commission should, therefore, be taking action to prioritise accessibility to resources over personal mobility in order to try to tackle this issue and to negate the need for long-distance commuting. 

It should also seek to promote good practice in travel awareness, by promoting sustainable transport alternatives, exploring incentives for their use and targeting the small contribution that everybody can make, through "hearts and minds".

Modal Shift 

The Commission rightly identifies that modal shift away from road transport is required for both passengers and freight, to tackle congestion and pollution and improve safety. In The North Sea area and other peripheral maritime regions, modal shift will also enable marginal areas to help overcome their peripherality. 

Investment in the rail sector is supported. However, it is believed that the White Paper places too great a reliance on rail to effect modal shift. Moreover, the White Paper policy of predict and provide for rail congestion may merely provide for the immediate local demand, rather than freeing the network for international trade. It would be wrong to repeat the mistakes made on roads in our solutions for rail. 

A primary concern is that the European Commission’s projections for modal shift do not correlate with the targeted investment. The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Community Guidelines contain only one inland waterway scheme and none at all for Short Sea Shipping, and are projected to receive 4,170 million euros over the period 2000-2006. The proposed Marco Polo programme however, for intermodal transport, is scheduled to receive only 120 million euros over four years. 

The NSC contends that Short Sea Shipping could link objectives for modal shift and improving access to outlying areas. It could be a key to linking up producers in the periphery with markets in the core, as well as linking peripheral areas together, without travel through the congestion of central Europe. It is, therefore, regrettable that the inclusion of key maritime services on the TEN-T map will take another three years to realise. 

In conclusion the North Sea Commission resolve that these three issues of Peripherality, Personal Mobility, and Modal Shift must be addressed by the European Commission before an efficient transport system for Europe, which will overcome peripherality and deliver more sustainable transport choices to a new expanded Europe in 2010, will be realised. 

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This resolution was put before The North Sea Commission in its 11th General Assembly in Norfolk 18-21 June 2002, and adopted.