This means it is now significantly easier, faster and cheaper for EU countries to invest in sustainable transport to move people and goods.
The new rules replace the 2008 Guidelines on State Aid for Railway Operations and establish a consistent state aid framework that covers a wide range of sustainable transport options and assistance measures.
These regulations will go into effect on March 30th and TBER will end on December 31st, 2034.
Why does the EU need new measures for sustainable transport?
2019’s “Fitness Check” proved that old rules, while helpful, have not kept up with the climate crisis and new technology.
After years of consultations, roadmaps and impact reports, these new rules are the final product and a strategic move to align EU funding with the Green Deal.
Overall, the EU is cutting down on bureaucracy and opening up the checkbook to everyone who will contribute to making Europe’s transport cleaner, smarter and more connected.
What’s changing?
The goal of the adapted regulations is simple: move goods and people from congested roads to railroad tracks and tugboats.
Here’s how the new rules pave the way.
This rule targets intermodal transportation, where inland waterways, rail, water, and short-sea transportation work together to replace long-distance trucking. Funding for digital upgrades and “interoperability” is now more flexible. Nowadays, the railway systems of different countries communicate with each other, so goods do not have to stop at every border. New safeguards will make it easier for small businesses and startups to buy railcars and barges, and ensure that big incumbents don’t hold all the cards. Governments can now more easily spend money building and upgrading terminals, ports and service facilities.
TBER: Eliminating red tape for sustainable transport operators
The Transportation Block Exemption Regulation (TBER) serves as a highway for funding.
Previously, Member States often had to wait for the Commission to approve funding requests. Now, in many categories of sustainable transportation, you can just keep going.
This means less paperwork, fewer delays, and more immediate action on the ground.
LMT: A new way to finance sustainable transport
The adapted Land Multimodal Transport (LMT) Guidelines represent a complete overhaul of how European governments finance sustainable transport.
These replace the aging 2008 rail guidelines, in line with the EU’s goal of reducing transport emissions by 90% by 2050.
Importantly, these guidelines work in conjunction with TBER. The guidelines provide a rulebook for complex large-scale aid that still requires European Commission approval, and dramatically speed up funding by allowing governments to bypass the approval process altogether for standard projects that meet the guidelines’ criteria.
Efficient and simplified rulebook
“With today’s adoption of the Land and Intermodal Transport Guidelines and Transport Block Exemption Regulations, we are providing Member States with a modern and coherent national assistance framework that supports sustainable and interoperable land transport while safeguarding fair competition,” said Teresa Rivera, Executive Vice President for Clean, Fair and Competitive Transitions.
“These rules will simplify procedures and foster public support for sustainable transport solutions, thus contributing to more efficient, affordable and greener European land transport.”
Source link
