EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 78: Non-paper om danske prioriteter på transportområdet

Europaudvalget 2024-25
EUU Alm.del Bilag 78
Offentligt

Denmark’s priorities for the transport sector

In the upcoming years, the EU needs to strengthen its competitiveness, develop its own

capacities, and become more robust and resilient. The European transport sector is

imperative for reaching the aim of increased strategic autonomy and security of supply of

the EU. Furthermore, an ambitious green transition is a prerequisite to making the EU better

positioned in strategic competition with increased energy security as well as better growth

opportunities for the EU’s industry.

As one of the fundamental pillars of the European Single Market, enabling the free

movement of people, goods, and services, the European transport sector is essential for

strengthening the EU’s

competitiveness

and reaching its ambitious climate targets

With respect to several modes of transport, the EU is a regional stronghold in a global

setting. The EU should adopt strategies to ensure the competitive edge of the transport

sector both short-term and long-term. This non-paper may be supplemented by further non-

papers elaborating Danish priorities with respect to some specific modes of transport.

From a Danish perspective, there are two crosscutting points that the Commission should

prioritise in the coming years to ensure a strong, competitive, green and resilient transport

sector:

1) efficient implementation

and

2) decarbonising each and all transport modes.

Efficient implementation of legislation adopted during the current

mandate period is significant for a well-functioning and competitive

transport sector

With the adoption of the many files regulating

the transport sector during the current mandate

period 2019-2024, the time has now come to

focus on implementation. The emphasis on

implementation is also highlighted in both the

Letta report and the Draghi report.

Efficient implementation is not only important to

ensure that policy objectives are achieved. It is

also necessary to minimise the cost of EU

legislation for national authorities and the

industry which could otherwise have negative

knock-on effects for the functioning and

competitiveness of the transport sector. We

furthermore urge the Commission to take into

consideration that the complexity and volume of

EU regulation already pose challenges for

actors in the transport sector. This is particularly

evident in the railway sector where complicated

rules and procedures inhibit new players from

entering the market. A profoundly high level of

competence and sector knowledge is required

from new entrants. This is a significant market

barrier that effectively blocks healthy

competition.

Without the necessary focus on effective

implementation, including on the costs of Union

Regarding Denmark’s main priorities for a 2040 climate target and climate architecture we refer to the non-paper:

Denmark’s position

paper on an ambitious EU 2040 climate target and a cost-effective EU climate architecture.

EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 78: Non-paper om danske prioriteter på transportområdet

legislation for both national authorities and the

industry, the functioning and competitiveness of

the transport sector will be negatively affected.

To ensure a timely transition, we must focus on decarbonising each and

all transport modes

The need for ambitious climate action, including

in the transport sector, has never been more

evident. Denmark supports a 2040-climate

target of at least 90 pct. reduction of CO

equivalents compared to 1990 levels. To reach

this target we must decarbonise all transport

modes. Focus should in particular be on

developing

necessary

instruments

decarbonise hard-to-abate transport sectors.

A timely transition cannot be reached by

focusing only on modal shift, e.g. from road to

rail, as it is rarely the most CO

efficient method

Emissions (g CO

) per km, per person for

different transport modes

emissions from passenger transport vary

greatly. Below is a calculation of CO

emissions

per kilometer, per person for different transport

modes in Denmark. When comparing CO

emissions from electrified cars and trains, there is

little difference. Specifically, in cases where the

train capacity is not used, e.g. because of low

population density, trains are not CO

efficient.

Average diesel or gasoline vehicle

Average battery electric vehicle

Intercity train (diesel)

Regional train (diesel)

Regional train (electric)

Plane (jet engine)

301

The transition of road transport to zero emission

technologies is thus crucial as road transport

accounts for the largest part of greenhouse gas

emissions from the transport sector. This should

largely be solved by the transition to zero-

emission vehicles. In Denmark, the contribution

to the transition from a modal shift will be limited.

It is therefore of pivotal importance that proper

attention be given to how further CEF funds

could be allocated to facilitate the green

transition of road transport

–

particularly the road

haulage sector.

Following the technological developments, a

timely transition calls for a focus on long term

solutions

–

as opposed to transitional

technologies that are neither scalable nor can

provide near full decarbonisation.

Denmark underlines the importance of the Fit-

for-55 transport files, including the 100 percent

reduction target for new cars and vans in

2035. Denmark regards the Emissions Trading

Scheme (ETS), the CO

-emission standards for

new light and heavy-duty vehicles and the

Renewable Energy Directive as key drivers to

reach the

EU’s

climate goals These files have

revision clauses which allow for adjustment of

policy measures to ensure that they will deliver

the necessary reductions.

The on-going revision of the Weights and

Dimensions Directive will also support the

transition by compensating the added weight

from zero-emission technologies and creating a

bonus in terms of increased loading capacity on

zero-emission

vehicles

and

vehicle

combinations.

Source: Danish Ministry of Transport. Calculation based on

transport unit prices and data from the Danish State Railway,

Copenhagen Airport, Danish Road Directorate and the Danish TSO

Energinet.

–

and often not feasible at all. Modal shift should

in general only be pursued when it represents a

better socio-economic alternative to an

equivalent unimodal road transport.

EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 78: Non-paper om danske prioriteter på transportområdet

Another key element for the transition is

efficiency. The revision of the Weights and

Dimensions Directive is also essential in this

regard, as optimising the amount of freight

moved per unit will benefit both the climate,

environment and businesses.

By focusing on efficient implementation and

decarbonising each transport mode in the

coming years it will be possible to unlock the

potential of the transport sector, which will

strengthen the EU internally,

keep the EU’s

industry competitive and ensure that the

EU’s

climate goals are reached.