CONFÉRENCE EUROPÉENNE DES MINISTRES DES TRANSPORTS
EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF TRANSPORTRESOLUTION No. 66 ON TRANSPORT AND THE ENVIRONMENT[CM(89)29 Final]

The Council of Ministers of Transport, meeting in Paris on 23rd November 1989,
CONSIDERING:-- That good transport systems play a major positive role in the economies of all countries andin the lives of their citizens;-- That there exist growing environmental problems, globally, regionally and locally, for which
the transport sector, inter alia, bears a significant responsibility;-- That emerging scientific evidence points to the seriousness of the problems and gives anurgency to the need for action;

NOTING:-- That in most countries the number of journeys made, especially journeys by road, increased
significantly during the last two decades and moreover is expected to increase further due toimproved living standards and the expansion of international trade;-- That the need for improved and more efficient transport facilities in the future and thegrowing environmental problems caused poses new challenges for transport policy making
which could lead to significant changes in orientation towards alternative solutions;-- That technical concepts for clean and quiet vehicles exist and state and local programmes areunder development in different countries to encourage the introduction of such vehicles,
especially in city areas.

AWARE:-- That, in principle, transport users should have a free choice of mode;-- That a series of recent conferences and meetings, at the highest political levels, haveemphasized the extent of environmental problems, especially global problems;-- That the World Commission on Environment and Development set up by the United Nations
has recommended sustainable development as the basic guideline for all economic activities;-- That within the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution it has been agreed
in the framework of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) to freeze
by 1994 the amount of nitrogen oxide emissions at the 1987 level and that eleven ECMTMember countries have declared their intention to go further and reduce this level by 30 per
cent by 1998 compared with a base year between 1980 and 1986;-- That international harmonized standards concerning, inter alia, motor vehicle emissions andnoise, as well as machinery for their continuous updating already exist, in particular within
the ECE Working Party 29;-- That measures which reduce environmental damage may also improve road safety;-- That energy, emission and pollution issues are also closely linked, and that certain
improvements in energy efficiency may produce environmental benefits.

STATES:-- That the impacts of transport on human health and the environment must be limited to levels
which human beings and nature can cope with in the long run;-- That both international and national measures are needed to obtain concrete results which canreduce rapidly the seriousness of the situation, also taking into account long term needs;-- That the harmful impacts of transport on the environment can most effectively be reduced if
measures affecting vehicles, traffic and infrastructure are implemented in combination;-- That the responsibility for an environmentally acceptable transport system is shared by thevehicle and fuel industries as well as national and subnational authorities and transport users;-- That, although many countries and international organisations have taken various important
steps towards reducing the exhaust and noise emissions especially from the road transport
sector, further steps are necessary;-- That measures must be undertaken within a framework of clear-cut environmental policy
goals which should be translated into quantified emission reductions and plans for thetransport sector in the medium and longer term;-- That environmental considerations should be analysed and taken into account as far as
possible in all proposals relating to transport policy.

RECOMMENDS

A. IN RELATION TO VEHICLESi) Vehicle Emission Controls-- That efforts should be made to strengthen and harmonize emission controls, includingemission controls for diesel vehicles paying particular attention to those which come into
force in the United States for the model year 1994, on as wide as geographical basis aspossible and at the levels adopted by the most advanced countries;-- That best available technology to reduce noise and air pollution emissions and improveenergy efficiency should be applied to the maximum extent that is practically possible at an
acceptable cost;2

-- That vehicle manufacturers take practical steps to develop vehicles that are less performanceoriented, and which are cleaner, quieter, safer and more energy efficient using materials thatare reusable and which allow more environmentally friendly waste treatment;-- That research on environmentally friendly technologies should be encouraged andintensified; results should be shared internationally on a regular basis. In particular, a majorinternational research effort is needed to develop a cleaner heavy duty engine especially with
reduced particulate emissions, in which the manufacturers have an important role;ii) Improving Environmental Performance of In-Use Vehicles-- That in general, environmental performance of in-use vehicles must be improved. To achieve
this objective a broad strategy should be applied including, as appropriate, the proper
certification of vehicles, warranty recall mechanisms, durability conditions for anti-pollution
devices, inspection and maintenance programmes, and better use of on-board diagnostics anddevices to help drivers to drive and navigate efficiently;-- That in particular, intensive efforts need to be made to develop test methods or proceduresfor vehicle emission levels which are effective, cheap and quick.

iii) Issues Concerning Fuels-- That efforts need to be made to improve the quality of diesel fuel, since it is relevant toemissions; ongoing work should be supported and encouraged;-- That there is a need for measures to control evaporative emissions of petrol at bulk terminals,
in petrol trucks, and at the delivery to service stations as well as for further study of thelosses from petrol-driven vehicles and fuel delivery systems;-- That research on the costs, pollution effects, and efficient use of alternative fuels and electric
propulsion should be intensified;-- That, where they have not yet done so, Governments should encourage the more rapid andwidespread introduction of unleaded fuel, by measures including the use of fiscal incentives
and information campaigns.

iv) Motor Vehicles and Global Pollution Issues-- That Governments should review the use of taxes and/or regulations for motor vehicles toensure their consistency with the goal of reducing fuel consumption and emissions;-- That, as a priority, a full range of possible measures that can be taken to reduce transport’s
contribution to the “greenhouse effect” be set out together with the costs and practicalproblems of implementing them;-- That the vehicle manufacturers should reduce the use of CFCs and it should be prohibited by
the end of this century at the latest.

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B. IN RELATION TO TRAFFIC MANAGEMENTi) Generally-- That traffic management be used to further environmental objectives in transport policy, bothin relation to demand management and in relation to changing modal split;-- That greater use be made of existing traffic management measures which can reduce theimpact on the environment (such as traffic calming areas, traffic circulation plans and, whereappropriate, speed limits);-- That, since many users do not pay their full costs, it is necessary, in accordance with thePolluter Pays Principle, to introduce systems of supplementary charging for environmental
damage caused. In principle, each transport mode should pay the full costs caused (forinstance, through raising excise duty on fuels and/or road pricing). Methods of estimatingsuch costs and ways of internalising them, should be developed at international level.

ii) Urban Areas-- That traffic management measures should be applied in such a way as to encourage optimaluse of alternative modes to the private car;-- That effective and acceptable means of reducing the use of the private car in urban areas need
to be applied;-- That existing regulations should be better enforced, especially in relation to parking;-- That traffic management decisions need to include specific assessments of the land-useeffects; public transport-based solutions need to be sought when new office or residential
accommodation is constructed;-- That traffic management measures should be an integral part of the planning of urban areas
as a whole;-- That research be done and experiments started on the ideal mix of measures that effectively
stimulate car owners to use alternative modes.

iii) Inter-Urban Traffic-- That ECMT resolutions on railways, inland waterways and combined transport be
implemented rapidly so as to make these transport modes as efficient and commerciallyoriented as possible. In particular, improved co-operation at international level in railway
operation is necessary;-- That efforts to develop the combined transport network and the attractiveness of its services
be intensified;-- That any proposals to harmonize taxes and charges in international road freight transportshould take into account the environmental damage caused by such traffic; the consistencyand levels of such taxes and charges should also be systematically examined from anenvironmental viewpoint.

4C. IN RELATION TO INFRASTRUCTUREi) Evaluation Procedures and Practicesa) The Evaluation Procedures-- That infrastructure investment projects should include from the outset an assessment of
the direct and indirect consequences for the environment as an integral part of thedecision making process;-- That assessments of infrastructure investment proposals should include traffic andenvironmental evaluations of the alternatives, including the alternatives based on
extending railway or other public transport infrastructure and that of not building theinfrastructure.
b) Consultation with the Public-- That consultation with the public should take place at intervals during the planning of theproject especially when projects are not voted in the national parliament;-- That in such consultation the public should have access to detailed information on theproject and be informed about possible realistic alternatives.
ii) Infrastructure Design-- That special efforts should be made in regard to choosing the route and also to minimise theadverse effects which occur in the vicinity of major transport interchanges; the possibilities
in this regard should be reported on;-- That information should be exchanged internationally on environmental aspects ofinfrastructure design and construction (e.g. developments in noise-absorbing road surfaces,
tunnel construction, protective screens, materials used, reduction of primary energy products
in construction);-- That the attention of international organisations working in these areas should be drawn tothe priority attached to these questions;-- That, in general, infrastructure construction should be undertaken using techniques andmaterials which reduce to the extent possible the adverse impacts on the environment, taking
into account safety and cost constraints.
iii) Better Assessment of New Infrastructure Construction Needs-- That the modes which are environmentally friendliest should continue to be encouraged; that
concrete steps, including the implementation of ECMT Resolutions, which can be taken inthis regard should be reported on regularly;-- That planning of new dwellings or offices should be based, to the extent possible, on existingor new public transport infrastructure systems.

5FURTHERMORE, THE COUNCIL, IN RELATION TO FUTURE ECMT WORK,RECOMMENDS:-- That, as a first step towards developing environmentally friendly vehicles, a Ministerial
hearing with vehicle manufacturers and the fuel industry should be organised;-- That the ECMT sets up a Working Body to help follow up the recommendations of thisSession and to make other policy recommendations as appropriate. This working bodyshould work in close co-operation with the OECD;-- That the conclusions of the Session should be communicated officially to the OECD, the UN
and to the EC and other relevant bodies.
INSTRUCTS the Committee of Deputies to report within two years on the implementation of thisResolution.

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