TEN Section at the International Transport Forum Summit 2025

At the end of May, the International Transport Forum (ITF) held its 3-day annual summit in Leipzig, Germany. This year´s theme was Transport Resilience to Global Shocks.

The ITF, hosted by the OECD, acts as a global transport policy think tank. Its annual summit is the world’s leading gathering of transport ministers, attracting high-level representatives from the ITF’s 69 member countries, guest countries, and over 1200 participants from business, academia, civil society, and local and regional authorities. The 2025 Summit marked the beginning of the ITF's 2025–2027 Summit Trilogy, dedicated to accelerating the transition toward resilient, inclusive, and net-zero transport systems.

This year's theme focused on the ability of transport systems to withstand and recover from disruptions such as pandemics, natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and geopolitical tensions. Participants explored policies and tools to enhance resilience while simultaneously transforming mobility systems into more sustainable, inclusive, and flexible networks that can serve all users in all circumstances. Discussions emphasized forward-thinking investments, integrated planning, and the need to anchor resilience in social and environmental priorities.

The EESC Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure, and the Information Society (TEN) was actively engaged at the 2025 Summit. TEN Section President Baiba Miltoviča participated in the session Maximising Social Impact of Resilient Transport Systems.

"When it comes to mobility, we need to change the narrative, stop talking about a service – it is a social right", Baiba Miltoviča underscored during the session. To address transport poverty, public transport must be recognised as essential infrastructure, not governed solely by market forces. A lack of access to affordable and reliable mobility undermines people’s ability to fully participate in employment, education, and social life.

She also highlighted road safety as a central pillar in delivering equitable and resilient mobility systems. Beyond reducing traffic injuries and fatalities, road safety contributes to unlocking the social, environmental, and economic value of transport infrastructure.

Ms. Miltoviča advocated for a multimodal approach, integrating public transport with safe walking, cycling, and shared mobility options such as carpooling and demand-responsive services.

Finally, she identified Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) as a critical tool in tackling transport poverty. Their success depends on inclusive participation – engaging civil society, employers, workers, and vulnerable groups, especially in functional urban areas. Strong national support programmes and alignment with EU funding tools, such as the Social Climate Fund, are vital for effective implementation.

TEN section member Ms. Chiara Corazza, who invited the EESC delegation to the ITF Summit, spoke at the conclusive plenary session "Integrating resilience into urban planning and transport network design". She emphasized that Europe is currently implementing its urban mobility framework, while the EESC is preparing to adopt an opinion on "Planning Sustainable Urban Mobility in the EU".

Ms. Corazza highlighted the vital role of women – who make up 65% of public transport users - in shaping urban spaces and mobility systems that are resource-efficient, climate-resilient, and socially inclusive. Drawing on her experience as an independent board member of RATP and her work in attracting capital and talent, she underscored the importance of human-centered mobility infrastructure as a key factor in a city’s attractiveness. As an example, she cited Paris, where electric and hybrid vehicles now account for over 52% of new car sales, and where bicycle commuting has increased by 18% in a single year.

Participation of both TEN members in the ITF Summit 2025 reaffirms the Committee’s commitment to shaping transport policy that puts people and communities at the center.

Building on the call for more inclusive and resilient mobility, ITF Ministers adopted landmark policy recommendations aimed at strengthening road safety and guiding a responsible and effective integration of AI in transport governance.

Policy Recommendations on Comprehensive Road Safety promote a systemic, evidence-based approach to reducing road traffic injuries and fatalities. Central to the recommendations is the need for robust data collection and performance monitoring, enabling authorities to tailor interventions based on real-world conditions and measurable outcomes.

The policy also encourages a multilayered risk-based approach, combining infrastructure safety upgrades, vehicle technology improvements, and road-user behavior campaigns. Importantly, the document calls for managing vehicle speeds in a way that reflects the function of roads and the vulnerability of different user groups – especially pedestrians and cyclists. Another key aspect is the emphasis on public accountability: authorities are urged to regularly report on the effectiveness of safety measures. This policy aims to create a culture of shared responsibility and continuous improvement in road safety.

A second set of groundbreaking recommendations adopted by ITF Ministers focused on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by transport authorities. As AI technologies become increasingly central to planning, managing, and delivering transport services, the policy urges public authorities to establish clear internal AI frameworks rooted in ethics, transparency, and accountability.

The recommendations advocate for human-centered AI systems – those that are interpretable, auditable, and trustworthy. These systems should not only enhance operational efficiency but also serve broader policy goals, such as inclusivity and safety. Crucially, the policy underscores the need for rigorous risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential harms, including algorithmic bias and security vulnerabilities. Transport authorities are encouraged to apply AI in areas like traffic optimization, demand forecasting, public transport scheduling, and policy simulation – always ensuring that human oversight remains a cornerstone of decision-making. By using AI responsibly, transport systems can become more adaptive, personalized, and efficient - while safeguarding fundamental rights.