At a meeting of EU transport ministers in Brussels, German Transport Minister Volker Wissing called for more cycling infrastructure in Germany and the EU. He also advocated the use of synthetic fuels for cars to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The EU pushes for more sustainable travel solutions continent-wide. The plan is to strengthen long-distance and cross-border connections with the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) policy and funding for railway infrastructure. While the demand for rail travel is high, national operators and startups are competing with “unreasonably low prices” for flights, night trains are experiencing a renaissance and experts are calling for a Europe-wide kerosine tax.
A vote on the EU’s de facto sales ban for combustion engine cars has been postponed in the Council of the EU after several nations cast doubt on the decision, thereby unsettling part of the EU’s package to tackle climate change.