Sustainability in European Transport Policy

Book excerpt: The construction of the European Economic Communities in 1950 primarily set out to build an integrated economic zone in which national borders were, to a large extent, overcome. The ability of persons and goods to move freely within the economic zone was seminal in the realisation of economic integration. Underlying this, and therefore an implied necessity for European growth, an effective transport infrastructure was essential. However, with rising awareness of environmental issues, and a closer regard to sustainability of development, European transport systems and their regulation have come under scrutiny. This book sets out a critical analysis of the body of law and policy initiatives that constitute the EU's common transport policy. The development of the transport policy is charted through amending and founding Treaties as well as non-legislative documents. The book uses a model of sustainability as the basis for the analysis as the criteria for sustainable development were set out under Article Eleven of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. However, sustainable development, when taken in the context of transport is difficult to reconcile with unbridled economic growth and unchecked freedom of movement and the book identifies a contradiction at the heart of European policy which can only become more accentuated as environmental trends become more explicit. The book argues that European regulation will eventually be forced to recognize this dichotomy, and take more forceful action to protect environmental and social development, even at the cost of economic progress. This book will be of great interest to researchers and students on European Union law and policy courses, transport studies courses and European integration courses. The book is of relevance to all those interested in environmental and transport matters.