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FIA Eurocouncil: Siim Kallas must stand for pragmatic policies

Creation date: 14 January 2010

Ahead of the European Parliament hearing to decide Siim Kallas’ appointment as Transport Commissioner, the Eurocouncil of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) calls for vision and viable transport policies.

The appointment of the new College of European Commissioners comes at a crucial moment. The European Union is about to pronounce on the major transport and mobility challenges to be addressed in the next forty years and to set the policy programme for the next decade.

“In taking up this major portfolio the new Commissioner must pursue a holistic and sustainable approach” said Werner Kraus, Chairman of the FIA Eurocouncil. “In particular road transport needs to be better recognised as the backbone of modern society’s prosperity. New and efficient initiatives addressing the prevailing challenges must be clearly articulated and executed. Increasing financial burdens on consumers is not an option!”

Given that mobility is forecasted to increase substantially this century, all modes of transport and mobility stakeholders must be ready with realistic and future-proof solutions to tackle the challenges ahead.

Road safety requires particular attention. Europe has made major progress in reducing road deaths. However, the battle to ever improve road safety must continue unrelentingly. Reducing the annual toll of 40,000 European road deaths must be the new Commissioner’s first and foremost priority for the duration of his mandate.

On behalf of Europe’s motoring consumers, the FIA Eurocouncil calls upon the new Commission to target the following objectives: safer, cleaner, better integrated, more comfortable, more secure and more efficient transport.

“We will support the European Commission in developing robust and pragmatic transport policies tailored to real societal needs” concluded Kraus.