Smart Move objectives endorsed by EU Transport Ministers

EU Transport Ministers endorsed Smart Move objectives while discussing ways of achieving efficient, safe, and sustainable road transport for the future, during the 1st IRU/EU Presidency Road Transport Conference and Ministerial Meeting in Brussels on 1 December.

Addressing political, transport and trade leaders attending the conference, IRU Vice President, Graham Smith stressed “Buses and coaches are the mode that has the potential to unlock and further enhance the mobility potential of the European transport system at all levels – local, national and even international, since the advantages we offer to the travelling public go hand in hand with the current and future needs and preferences of European citizens in terms of safety, environmental-friendliness, affordability, flexibility and accessibility.”

At the Conference, EU Transport Ministers adopted the following joint statement: 

• Considering the essential role road transport plays in the everyday lives of EU citizens and in meeting the needs of a strong and dynamic European economy, driving the sustainable mobility of people and goods;


• acknowledging that commercial road transport plays a vital role in supporting travel, employment and prosperity in the EU economy and society as a whole;


• recognising the need to work together to develop a more ecologically friendly, safe, competitive road transport in line with the objectives of the Lisbon strategy;


• emphasising that reducing the ecological impact of commercial road transport will require innovative, viable and sustainable solutions;

EU Ministers of Transport have decided to coordinate their efforts to:

• Work in partnership with the commercial road transport industry so that: it can achieve further at source reductions of its environmental footprint by encouraging research into even cleaner vehicle technologies and viable alternatives to fossil fuels for heavy commercial vehicles while providing incentives to facilitate market take up of latest technologies and best practices;


• Coordinate national and regional transport policies in order to develop and maintain high quality infrastructure and interoperable ITS solutions while aiming to remove existing barriers to the free movement of people and make best use of existing or planned infrastructure;


• Integrate the different transport modes into a highly efficient and competitive European transport system that ensures sustainable mobility of people through the creation of a competitive level playing field;

Have invited:

• All interested parties to participate in an effective and continuous dialogue in the form of a public-private partnership to achieve progress towards the goals identified in this Declaration. 

Read the Ministerial Statement

See the Conference highlights