Coronavirus: European transport organisations call for green freight lanes

Thirty-three European transport associations – including the FTA – have called for EU Member States to ensure smooth border crossings for freight transport during the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic.

The organisations represent transport, infrastructure managers, operators, workers in all transport modes and logistics, contractors, local and regional authorities and logistics service providers, as well as supporting industries and companies.

They all endorse the following statement:

• Highlight the key role transport and logistics are playing for the supply of essential goods in this critical period: stress that transport infrastructure is in this respect critical infrastructure
• Show their respect and support to all workers in the supply chain enabling the continuity of transport services, the movement of goods and essential commodities, as well as the repatriation of stranded citizens, and thus playing a major role in helping the European citizens to overcome this crisis
• Call on the Member States to enable smooth border crossings for freight transport, both intra-EU and with third countries, in this respect fully support the establishment of green freight lanes in coordination with the concerned transport stakeholders
• Support the measures and actions taken on EU-level and by national governments to contain the spread of Covid-19 and call on the Member States to coordinate their response to the Covid-19 and to follow the European Commission’s guidelines on border management
• Reiterate the importance of protecting the health and safety of transport workers, notably through personal protective equipment, as well as access to clean and disinfected sanitary facilities, foods and drinks
• Highlight that transport and logistics sectors are based on a physical workforce and call on the European Commission and the Member States to facilitate its mobility, including repatriation of the transport work force
• Urge the policymakers to assist the heavily affected transport sector in its recovery, to ensure future connectivity for both passengers and freight, and to revitalise the arteries of the internal market as soon as the crisis is over.

Signatories

The organisations which have endorsed the statement are:

• A4E – Airlines for Europe
• AIM – European Brands Association
• ALICE – European Technology Platform
• BPO – Baltic Ports Organisation
• ARDAN – Solutions for innovation;
• CER - Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies
• CLECAT – European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Customs Services; COCERAL – European association for trade in cereals, rice, feedstuffs, oilseeds, olive oil, oils and fats and agrosupply
• EBU – European Barge Union
• ECASBA – European Community Association of Shipbrokers and Agents
• ECSA – European Community Shipowners’ Associations
• EFIP – European Federation of Inland Ports
• EIM – European Rail Infrastructure Managers
• EMPA – European Maritime Pilots’ Association
• ERFA - European Rail Freight Association
• ESC – European Shippers’ Council
• ESO - European Skippers’ Organisation
• ESPO - European Sea Ports Organisation
• ETF – European Transport Workers’ Federation
• EuDA – European Dredging Association
• FEPORT – Federation of Private Port Operators and Terminals
• FERRMED – Association to improve Railfreight Transportation
• FTA – Leading UK logistics
• INE – Inland Navigation Europe
• IWI – Inland Waterways International
• IWT – European Inland Waterway Transport Platform
• POLIS – European Cities and Regions Networking for Innovative Transport Solutions
• SEA EUROPE – the voice of civil and naval (maritime technology) industries in Europe
• UETR – European Road Haulers Association
• UIP - International Union of Wagon Keepers
• UIRR – International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport
• UNIFE – The European Rail Supply Industry Association
• UNISTOCK – European association of professional portside storekeepers for agribulk commodities.