The European Commission has committed to make travel more efficient and less carbon intensive with new initiatives announced on Wednesday (5 November) for high-speed rail development and alternative aviation fuel production.
The dual initiatives, known as the High-Speed Rail Action Plan and the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) have been adopted by the commission as part of a “comprehensive transport package” that promises to accelerate the roll-out of Europe's high-speed rail network and boost investment in renewable and low-carbon fuels for the aviation sector.
“Competitiveness and sustainability are the guiding principles of this package, which aims to make the EU transport system more efficient, interconnected, accessible, clean and resilient,” the commission said in a statement.
The new High-Speed Rail Action Plan seeks to improve cross-border rail connections and shorten travel times on the Trans-European Transport Network by 2040.
The plan aims to connect major nodes in the network at speeds of 200 km/h or more, which will cut travel times from Berlin to Copenhagen to four hours (instead of the current seven), while trips from Sofia to Athens will be possible in six hours instead of the current 13 hours and 40 minutes, according to the commission. New cross-border links will also be established from Paris to Lisbon via Madrid, and from Warsaw to Talin.
The commission has promised to improve cross-border ticketing and booking systems, remove cross-border bottlenecks and strengthen EU-level governance for cross-border long-distance services. It will also develop a “coordinated financing strategy” together with member states, the rail industry and financiers to mobilise the required investment.
The STIP, meanwhile, aims to increase investment and boost domestic production of alternative fuels to meet the bloc’s RefuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime targets.
The plan sets out a series investment measures to raise at least €2.9 billion by 2027. This includes €2 billion for alternative fuels under ‘InvestEU’, €300 million through the European Hydrogen Bank to support hydrogen-based fuels for aviation and shipping, €446 million for synthetic aviation fuel and maritime fuel projects under the EU’s Innovation Fund, and €133.5 million in fuels-related research and innovation.
On the top of these measures, the commission is also preparing to launch an ‘eSAF Early Movers Coalition’ pilot project by the end of 2025, which aims to raise €500 million for synthetic aviation fuel projects.
“The STIP sends a clear signal to investors that Europe's targets remain in place and that the commission will support the transition to a climate neutral economy,” the commission said in a statement.
Industry reactions
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) welcomed the initiatives on Thursday (6 November) after its European advisory board chairperson met with EU policymakers in Brussels earlier this week.
“These developments directly align with business travel imperatives: shorter transit times, improved connectivity between key business hubs and more reliable options to substitute flights with rail where feasible,” the association said in a statement.
While applauding the STIP, the association also called for the “fast adoption” of the CountEmissionsEU initiative, which it said will provide accurate, comparable and transparent emissions across all modes of transport.
Associations in Europe’s aviation sector also welcomed the STIP announcement but said the potential funding support “appears disappointingly low and not commensurate with the scale of investment required”.
Groups including Airlines for Europe, ACI Europe, European Regions Airline Association (ERA) and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) said the aviation sector “remains concerned that the plan falls short of what is needed to accelerate the decarbonisation of air transport and safeguard Europe’s global competitiveness”.
According to the associations, alternative aviation fuel production requires a €100 billion investment by 2035 in order to support the sector’s net-zero transition.
The groups also urged policymakers to establish clear guidelines for a ‘Book & Claim’ mechanism that ensures alternative aviation fuels accessible across all EU airports.
“While it is positive that the STIP refers to such a mechanism, the commitment to assess its feasibility and design needs to become a top priority,” the groups said.