WRITTEN QUESTION P-2561/00

by Theodorus Bouwman (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(25 July 2000)

Subject: Environmental impact of an increase in goods transport due to e-commerce

The Dutch hauliers' organisation Netherlands Transport and Logistics recently published the report New wine in old bottles. Research shows that e-commerce will lead to 17 % additional growth in goods transport in the Netherlands in 2005. This is additional to the 21 % growth already anticipated, and is due primarily to increased use of vans and minibuses rather than large trucks.

1. Is the Commission aware of the above research? Has the Commission performed any research into the impact of e-commerce on goods transport at European level?

2. Does the Commission agree that the anticipated additional growth in road transport due to e-commerce (entailing extra noise, air pollution and climate change) runs counter to efforts to achieve environmentally sustainable transport in the Union particularly as the share accounted for by vans, which are relatively more polluting, will increase?

3. In the Netherlands, the government is pursuing a policy of transport prevention. Does not the Commission's policy of facilitating and promoting e-commerce conflict with this Netherlands Government policy?

4. Will the Commission make proposals for reconciling the conflicting aims of policy on e-commerce and transport prevention?

5. If so, how soon can we expect proposals from the Commission to this end?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(26 September 2000)

The Commission is aware of the study mentioned by the Honourable Member as well as a number of other studies on the same topic. Unfortunately, the results of the various studies do not present a consistent view of the future. The Commission supports research through its fifth framework programme. Indeed, some results are already available from the fourth framework programme, which point to the possibility of increasing the efficiency of logistic operations and reducing environmental burdens.

New modes of delivery are also being developped for online retailing such as pick-up points, which should increase logistical efficiency. Overall, improved logistic management will also lead to developments like joint deliveries of goods from different sources and thus reduce logistic cost. Furthermore, the shift towards intangible products (which can be delivered directly online) will reduce the need for physical transport.

However, e-commerce, although now becoming a recognised means of trading, is in an early stage of development. It is possible that e-commerce could lead to an increased use of light vans, but if the trend for groupage of e-commerce deliveries increases this might not be the case. If e-commerce is considered in the wide context of e-business, the advantages and disadvantages in terms of transport growth are not yet well known.

The Commission is monitoring the progress of e-commerce, both from the transport point of view and for the business aspects. At this time, the Commission is not ready to draw a conclusion on the future impact on transport of e-commerce.

The Commission is in the process of preparing a white paper on a common transport policy which will consider these issues within the overall transport policy review.