Revision of the Combined Transport Directive 92/106/EEC

Background

The Combined Transport Directive (Council Directive 92/106/EEC) was one of the instruments of the EU transport policy to support multimodal/intermodal solutions. There were two previous attempts to update the Directive in 1998 and 2017, but after no satisfactory agreement could be reached among the co-legislators both proposals were withdrawn.

The current proposal is part of the European Commission's Greening freight package, which will support the freight sector in playing its part towards the Green Deal goals.

The objective is to improve the competitiveness of intermodal freight transportation: two or more transport modes will be used for transporting goods, instead of road-only transport. Rail, inland waterways and/or short sea shipping will be used for the main leg of the freight journey, whereas the more flexible road transport will be used for the first and/or last leg of a journey to reach the final destination.

Key points

The EESC:

• affirms the need for intermodality in all freight transport, while always bearing in mind the obligation to coordinate and optimise each mode of transport at European level;
• is convinced that establishing an intermodal transport system requires the public to be informed of the advantageous prospects it offers: an intermodal transport system is designed to serve the public, it must influence decisions on transport projects and policies;
• stresses that the success of this policy calls for full compliance with social rules as well as a specific and systematic training policy for company staff and managers;
• calls for the application of this new measure to respect the rest and break periods of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers. Economic profitability must not adversely affect road safety or the working conditions of drivers in the EU.

Additional information

Section: Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society (TEN)

Opinion number: TEN/812

Opinion type: Optional

Referral: COM(2023) 702 final 2023/0396 COD COM(2023) 702 final 2023/0396 COD

Rapporteur: Pierre Jean Coulon (Group II - France)

Date of adoption by section: 26 January 2024

Result of the vote: 72 in favour, 0 against, 1 abstention

Date of adoption in plenary: 14-15 February 2024

Result of the vote: 171 in favour, 0 against, 1 abstention

Contact

Marco Pezzani

Press Officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 9793 | Mob: +32 470 881 903

E-mail: marco.pezzani@eesc.europa.eu

Aleksandra Sarman-Grilc

Administrator

Tel.: +32 546 8333

E-mail: aleksandra.sarmangrilc@eesc.europa.eu