Eurovignette Directive - Not Now!

04.03.2009

Mobility for Prosperity in Europe - MPE

As we are probably experiencing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s, MPE invites the Members of the European Parliament not to give in to a legislative “rush” to add another layer of costs to road transport which will further deteriorate peoples' purchasing power. We should postpone the vote on the proposal for the revision of the Eurovignette Directive.

“It lacks adequate scientific assessment and a sound cost/benefit analysis; it unfairly targets road transport without proposing any alternative forward-looking proposal, and therefore, fails in addressing the principle of ‘co-modality’ to achieve sustainability for each mode of transport” says chairman Ari Vatanen. “In the name of honesty we should require more and better research.”

Furthermore, the impact of the economic and social crisis and the dramatic fall in the economic activity (see fig. annex 1) cannot be neglected. Policy-makers ought to carefully consider the impact such an important legislative act might have on the industrial sector since adding unnecessary burdens at this crucial moment would counteract efforts made all over Europe to refloat the economies.

Acknowledging that road transport drives development and that a further examination of the directive provisions is needed – both in terms of Europe’s competitiveness and environmental records – would offer MEPs more time for reflection while sending a positive and strong message in the present troubled times.

For a more detailed analysis, you may find attached an MPE Statement on Greening Transport and the revision of the Eurovignette Directive, issued on 19 January 2009.

All transport modes should be treated equally and we should put the interest of the European user first!


ANNEX 1

The impact of the economic crisis through figures

Compared to the situation at the end of 2007, recent data for the last quarter of 2008 obtained from road freight transport associations and government sources point to:

  • a decrease in road freight transport activity of up to 50%, depending on the country and/or sector of activity;
  • an increase in the number of bankruptcies by up to 110%;
  • an expected rise in the costs for the road freight transport sector by at least 3-4% in comparison with 2008;
  • 140,000 jobs in EU road freight transport have already been lost or are at risk;
  • in the first month of 2009, registrations of new commercial vehicles in the EU-27 contracted by 35.6%. Registrations of light commercial vehicles decreased by 36.6%;
  • heavy goods vehicles traffic along EU tolled motorways network experienced a dramatic fall in the last quarter of 2008 and the trend is worsening in the first months of the year. In comparison with 2008, traffic declined in January by 33.9 % in Spain, 14 % in France and 20.3 % in Austria.

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