Goals

: (c) by BBT-SE

Mobility plays a major role in the life of European citizens and the European economy. Transport policy therefore needs to focus on the needs of the public and deliver, among other things, a high standard of safety.

Transport infrastructure which runs through the Alpine region plays an important role in the implementation of the single market and the development of an efficient trans-European network.

In the Alpine region a balanced development of the different means of transport is required which takes into account the distinctive features of this region, in particular the delicate balance between the economy, society, people and their natural environment.

The risks arising from traffic in Alpine tunnels are growing and additional efforts are therefore required to prevent road accidents in tunnels which are a cause of great concern.

High-quality rail transport undoubtedly offers advantages for freight transport across large distances and through mountainous territory.

All necessary measures are to be taken to ensure the sustainable and safe management of road traffic in these ecologically (Alpine region) and technically (tunnels, mountain roads) difficult areas. At the same time, efforts must be made to encourage the use of more economically efficient and environmentally-friendly means of transport, i.e. mainly rail transport.

As improved transport in the Alpine region contributes to the kind of sustainable development supported by the meeting of the European Council in Göteburg in June 2001, certain voluntary and coordinated measures must be implemented with short, medium and long-term impacts. These measures are set out in the White Paper on “European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide”.

(Excerpt from the Preamble of the Declaration of Zurich)