Local and Regional Authorities' representatives joined an online debate on the European Green Deal during a CoR plenary session to discuss sustainable smart mobility in regions, cities and villages with Adina Vălean, European Commissioner for Transport.
Adrian Teban, Mayor of Cugir said that the green transition will affect all regions with a link to the automotive industry, a sector which accounts for almost 6 million jobs in the core automotive and adjacent industries. "This territorial impact needs more reflection from the European Commission. We demand a multilevel dialogue on the transition of the automotive industry. We want a broader debate on the territorial impact for regions with a strong automotive industry." Teban who is the rapporteur for the CoR Opinion on 'Towards zero emission road transport' highlighted the need of a Just Transition Fund dedicated to the millions of workers in the automotive industry.
Christopher Drexler, Member of the State Government of Styria said that the decarbonization of tansport is an important step to fight climate change but that there are also territorial implications to be taken into account. He told Commissioner Vălean "Your proposals for the fleet limit values for the auto industry have an enormous impact on the auto regions and regions with the auto supply industry. Drexler, who is President of the CoR's Automotive Intergroup added "I am particularly concerned with this issue. 14.6 million people in Europe work in the automotive ecosystem. The green transition in mobility can only succeed if it is also a success for these people and for the regions together with the auomotive industry. There is no well-founded analysis of the effects of the reform on the affected regions and this must be addressed."
Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Łódź said that Łódź had gone a long way to modernize public transport systems, especially the tram system, and to create integrated multimodal junctions thanks to European funds. She outlined that further funding is required for the modernization and subsequent expansion of the tracks as this will allow local governments to develop environmentally friendly public transport positively influencing green mobility. "The implementation of the European Green Deal requires financing of activities at various levels - from local government to the EU level. Moreover, it requires understanding the goal that it can only be achieved by working together" she concluded.
Sonja Ledl-Rossmann, President of the Parliament of the Tyrol spoke about the detoured transit via the Brenner Pass saying that it had reached unbearable proportions, with more than 880,000 lorries passing every year. She said "Infrastructure policy is preventing an increase in the toll surcharges and thus fair cost relations between rail and road. The new directive on the 'charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures' will further reduce the toll rates for low-emission trucks by up to 75% thus massively increasing traffic via the Brenner Pass and further weakening the competitiveness of rail in comparison to road. The health of the people in the Alps is massively damaged by the ever-increasing traffic." She thus expressed disappointment with the Eurovignette directive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfqXLevWJoQ