Towards effective and sustainable European transport systems. The European transport system needs to meet society’s economic, social and environmental needs. Effective transportation systems are essential to Europe’s prosperity. They have significant impacts on economic growth, social development and the environment.

The transport industry makes a major contribution to the European economy as a whole. Mobility of goods and people is an essential component of the competitiveness of European industry and services. Mobility is also an essential citizen right.

Improved Road Safety. Road fatalities have been reduced by more than 17% since 2001, although not in all European member states. However, the number of more than 40.000 deaths and more than 1.7 million injured in 2005 is unacceptably high. Safety has the most serious impact on the daily lives of citizens.

Reducing Congestion Problems. Rising congestion costs are a major economic problem in many regions of the European Union.

• In the EU, congestion costs amount to 50 billion € per year. This is 0.5 % of Community GDP. By 2010 this figure could go up to 1% of the EU GDP.
• The number of cars per thousand people has increased from 232 in 1975 to 460 in 2002.
• The overall distance travelled by road vehicles has tripled in the last 30 years. In the last decade the volume of road freight grew by 35% contributing to 7.500 km. Ten percent of the network is being affected daily by traffic jams.

Congestion on European roads does not only cause considerable loss of time resulting in societal costs. Congestion is also the reason for substantial environmental problems caused by vehicle emissions.

• In 2002 the transport sector consumed 338 million tons oil equivalent (MToe) representing 31% of the total energy consumption in the EU.
• Road transport consumed 281 MToe, or 83% of the energy consumed by the whole transport sector.
• Road transport CO2 emissions account for 835 million tons per year representing 85% of the total transport emissions.
• Investigations show that up to 50% of fuel consumption is caused by congested traffic situations and non-optimal driving behaviour.

Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication is a powerful means to improve road safety and to reduce congestion problems.