Assessment And Decision Making For Sustainable Transport

Assesfull1 GB 19/02/04 11:56 Page 1 EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT Achieving more sustainable development hinges on planning and decision-making procedures that are able to bring the results of economic appraisals and environmental assessments before technical and political decision-makers in ways that are clear, concise and transparent. Effective systems will highlight trade-offs, risks and impacts that are difficult or impossible to monetise, rather than trying to make decisions in place of those responsible. This report makes recommendations for good practice in the transport sector on the basis of reviews of recent experience in infrastructure planning and policy development in seven countries. ASSESSMENT AND DECISION MAKING FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT & DECISION MAKING FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT -:HSTCSC=VVXVVU: (75 2004 02 1 P) ISBN 92-821-1311-6 2004 ASSESSMENT & DECISION MAKING FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT p1 assess2.qxd 20/02/04 10:01 Page 1 EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT & DECISION MAKING FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT Cover-ang.fm Page 1 Friday, February 20, 2004 8:18 AM EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT (ECMT) The European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) is an inter-governmental organisation established by a Protocol signed in Brussels on 17 October 1953. It is a forum in which Ministers responsible for transport, and more specifically the inland transport sector, can co-operate on policy. Within this forum, Ministers can openly discuss current problems and agree upon joint approaches aimed at improving the utilisation and at ensuring the rational development of European transport systems of international importance. At present, the ECMT’s role primarily consists of: – helping to create an integrated transport system throughout the enlarged Europe that is economically and technically efficient, meets the highest possible safety and environmental standards and takes full account of the social dimension; – helping also to build a bridge between the European Union and the rest of the continent at a political level. The Council of the Conference comprises the Ministers of Transport of 43 full member countries: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, FYR Macedonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. There are seven Associate member countries (Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand and the United States) and one Observer country (Morocco). A Committee of Deputies, composed of senior civil servants representing Ministers, prepares proposals for consideration by the Council of Ministers. The Committee is assisted by working groups, each of which has a specific mandate. The issues currently being studied – on which policy decisions by Ministers will be required – include the development and implementation of a pan-European transport policy; the integration of Central and Eastern European Countries into the European transport market; specific issues relating to transport by rail, road and waterway; combined transport; transport and the environment; sustainable urban travel; the social costs of transport; trends in international transport and infrastructure needs; transport for people with mobility handicaps; road safety; traffic management; road traffic information and new communications technologies. Statistical analyses of trends i