Europe is the continent where multiple forms of transportation have been invented or brought to technological maturity. The free movement of persons has made Europe grow together and led to an everstronger sense of cohesion. Cross-border mobility is a prerequisite for a united EU and the experience of inter-connectedness on all levels.
However, transport today accounts for nearly 30 percent of the CO₂ emissions within the European Union. While it is imperative
to reduce these emissions to fight climate change, our joint efforts must aim at creating and maintaining jobs in a sector transformed by electrification, other alternative fuels, digitalisation and automation. At the same time, a transition in the field of mobility and transport can only be truly sustainable if it iS socially equitable and just.
These challenges can only be tackled in a joint effort on all levels: the EU institutions, Member States, as well as local authorities and communities. It is upon all of us to address these issues to tackle the climate crisis that we are facing. The European Green Deal as the overarching political framework needs to be at the forefront of this battle. It aims to make Europe climate neutral by 2050 and entails significant steps for the transport sector: The Sustainable and Smart Mobility

Strategy will need to deliver on boosting passenger rail, multimodal ticketing, but also highly important infrastructure investment
as with the revision of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) regulation.
These plans can only be achieved with the necessary funding. As finance is key, the orientation of the EU’s multiannual budget for 2021-2027 and recovery instrument “Next Generation EU” will thus be decisive to direct investment into the right transport infrastructures and mobility segments.