Managing the Fundamental Drivers of Transport Demand

The Seminar Managing the Fundamental Drivers of Transport Demand was organised by the
Belgian Presidency of the ECMT in order to prepare the ground for a debate between Ministers on
sustainable transport polices at the 2003 Council of Ministers. This meeting marked the
50th anniversary of the Conference and was a time for taking stock of achievements and looking
forward to the key challenges for transport policy in the coming years. The contribution of the sector
to more sustainable development is clearly a major part of that challenge. The conclusions of the
seminar completed the dossier for Ministers on integrated transport and environment policy,
complementing conclusions on the reform of transport charges and taxes and recommendations on
integrated assessment and effective decision making support, which lies at the heart of more integrated
policy making.
The seminar worked to an agenda set by the Federal Minister for Mobility of Belgium, asking
sharp questions about the need for practical policy advice. Ten technical presentations were given by
transport specialists, covering freight and passenger transport, spatial planning, logistics, pricing,
appraisal and implementation issues, including in transition economies. Following extensive
discussions, tentative policy conclusions were presented, discussed and then amended. The version
presented to Ministers concludes this report.