Transport priority: Digitalisation

As part of my vision for the Transport Union #digitalisation was 1 of 4 pillars guiding my mandate. As the mandate of the Juncker Commission is ending I am providing some insight in things done during my time as Commissioner for Transport.

Key results

• Vision 0: no manual involvement in logistics networks and passenger services by 2050.
• Impact of digitalisation: less pollution and congestion, new business models, more road safety and inclusion, competitive logistics networks and improved efficiency.
• Vertical integration, without monopolies: we mandated access to certain key data, made progress on standardisation and interoperability (European Maritime Single Window, e-documents, DTLF, smart digital tachographs, new aviation architecture, U-Space for drones and flying cars), and created the first legal framework for cooperative ITS services, preparing the ground for connected, cooperative, automated and autonomous mobility (CCAM).
• Digital Transport investments: Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) invested a total of €3.8 billion in 248 projects linked to digitalisation (ERMTS, ITS, other telematics application systems, RIS, SESAR). This leveraged total investment of €8.1 billion.
• New Multiannual financial framework (MFF): we reinforced CEF (€42.3 billion) and tripled CEF-Digital funding (€3 billion). We also created synergies between CEF-Transport and Digital through higher co-financing and top-ups.
• Key legislation: European Maritime Single Window, European Electronic Tolling System, Regulation on use of smart tachographs.
• Pending legislation: C-ITS Delegated Regulation, Electronic Freight Transport Information.

1.      Why digitalise transport?

The fourth industrial revolution, together with artificial intelligence, block-chain, big data, MaaS, and cooperative/connected/automated/autonomous mobility, has created the conditions for new business and social models, services, jobs and value drivers (accompanied by regulatory challenges). Digitalisation makes mobility systems in all modes and multimodal networks more efficient, integrated, clean, safe, secure, and inclusive. It is an opportunity for a new wave of public (passenger and business) services in remote areas, the expansion of micro-mobility in urban areas, new types of partnerships, plus better use of infrastructure and public space. However, digitalisation also causes concern over the easy creation of vertical and/or horizontal monopolies, misuse of public data and closed ecosystems, which will require particular attention in the future.

2.      Digitalisation in transport – achievements and remaining challenges

Digitalised mobility involves five layers – infrastructure, data, application, service and network layer. Our policy involves allowing vertical integration via open data applications, interfaces and regulated interoperability, whilst avoiding monopolies.

The EU has mandated access to certain data: EU-wide multimodal travel information (timetables, access nodes, bike- and car-sharing, vehicles facilities, standard fares for all modes….); rail freight information (e.g. expected time of arrival). The European Maritime Single Window (EMSW) makes arrival and departure times of ships publicly available. The passenger side/integrated ticketing remains a challenge: a code of conduct is needed for more data-sharing and cooperation.

It is essential to keep all layers decoupled and open for competition via public product/service/application interfaces, as well as to set clear rules for private, industry and public data. This is crucial for the development of competitive markets and industry, and also for anonymity (when required).

       I.                       Standards and interoperability – what have we done?

 ·        The European Maritime Single Window introduces a fully harmonised environment for ship reporting: savings of €725 million by 2030 and reporting time cut in half; this could be a blueprint for standardisation work at IMO level as well.

·        Our proposal on electronic freight documents (e-docs) will enable companies to submit administrative documents in all modes electronically: savings of €20-27 billion expected by 2040

·        Digitalisation of the road transport sector is a key objective of the first mobility package. Proposals cover the deployment of smart tachographs in all vehicles, the more systematic use of e-consignment notes, the introduction of a new common system of e-notification for posting declarations, and an enhanced ERRU database for information exchange between national administrations (trilogues in Autumn 2019), and revision of the Directive on a European Electronic Tolling Service.

·        The Digital Inland Waterway Area (DINA) interconnects information on infrastructure, people, operations, fleet and cargo in the inland waterway transport sector and with other transport modes.

·        Aviation is very much part of this intelligent transport system and relies on technological advances to transform its services and enable seamless travel and transport. The EU has put forward a new architecture for European airspace, embracing a new era of innovation and digital technologies. We are moving from several thousand conventional aircraft in the sky every day to potentially hundreds of thousands of highly connected and automated air vehicles (drones, air taxis), offering advanced data-driven services and operating in all areas, including cities. We have created the U-space concept, referring to the low-altitude system that connects all flying vehicles and keeps their operations safe and secure. A first wave of R&D projects in support of the U-space has been completed through the SESAR 2020 programme. Funding included €10 million for 6 demonstrator projects, and €500 000 for geo-fencing.

     II.                       Platforms – what have we done?

• Digital Transport and Logistics Forum (DTLF): companies from all modes create an interoperable data layer for freight multimodality and TEN-T Corridor Information Systems.
• C-Roads and C-ITS Platform for initial reflection on C-ITS.
• This year, a new single platform for connected, cooperative, automated and autonomous mobility will start paving the way for a new Joint Undertaking.

After the Council’s vote against the C-ITS Delegated Regulation, the Commission remains committed to the deployment of C-ITS , which will allow road users and traffic managers to share information and use it to coordinate their actions. The work on the Regulation, even though it was not voted into law, has fostered a common understanding of the standards and systems needed for safe implementation. We will therefore continue to work together with industry and Member States to support deployment this year. Remaining challenges include clear rules for access to in-vehicle data, and on liability as mobility becomes increasingly automated.

3.                  Current financing and next Multiannual financial framework (MFF)/ Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)

Under the current CEF, funding for digitalisation priorities (i.e. ERMTS, ITS, other telematics application systems, River Information System (RIS) and SESAR) amounts to €3.5 billion to date (total investment of €7.1 billion). In addition, the 2018 MAP call and 7 other co-financed actions address digitalisation priorities (€309 million for total investment of €1 060 million), such as data/ICT projects in safe and secure infrastructure and rail interoperability.

 For the next MFF, the Commission has proposed a reinforced CEF with a total budget of €42.3 billion, the budget for CEF Digital would be tripled (to €3 billion).

Synergies between CEF Transport and CEF Digital (as well as CEF Energy) will be promoted, for example through the option to apply the highest co-funding rate of the sectors concerned, plus the introduction of eligibility for a 10% top-up.

4.                  Next steps

• Automated mobility by 2030, autonomous mobility by 2050.
• Full digital integration of all transport modes: integrated ticketing (for passengers), integrated logistics (for business).
• Single logistics multimodal window.
• Agreement on open data and open interfaces.
• New ATM and SES II for aviation.