Pricing in transport: towards a fair and efficient pricing in transport. Green paper

In adopting the report by Mrs Barbara SCHMIDBAUER (PSE, D) on the Green Paper 'Towards fair and efficient pricing in transport - policy options for internalizing the external costs of transport in the European Union' Parliament considered that the Green Paper was a step towards developing sustainable mobility and a first approach to dealing with the problem of internalizing the external costs of transport. The report proposed however that a more comprehensive approach covering all transport modes should be taken and stressed that combined transport in particular must be a competitive option. Considering that the proposed measures were in no way intended to banish the transport of goods from the roads, the report pointed out the need to create equal conditions of competition for all modes of transport so that each of them bore the external costs to which they gave rise. The report considered that the transport policy instruments (taxes and tolls) should be harmonized throughout the European Union. While calling on the Member States to increase checks on the emission of harmful substances, the report called on the Commission to include CO2 emissions and their impact on the environment as a central aspect of the debate on the internalization of external costs. �