With the new UN sustainable transport decade under way, it’s now time to make it happen. In this two-part series, IRU’s Secretary General – who led efforts 30 years ago to establish the first sustainable development charter by a global transport organisation – reflects on the significance of sustainable transport and joint IRU–UN efforts since the historic 1992 Earth Summit.

Coach mobility must be fully integrated into the EU’s future tourism framework if the bloc is to strengthen competitiveness, sustainability and resilience, IRU stressed at high-level discussions in Brussels.

The electric duo-trailer will first travel a 90km route twice a day. In a second phase, it will run an intermodal route between Spain and Germany. The long-term ambition is to promote cross-border operations with electric vehicles and encourage regulatory changes that normalise the use of duo-trailers.

Significant progress has been made in reforming the ECMT Multilateral Quota, including the launch of a digital permit system.

Tolls are undergoing a big technological shift – with significant implications for road transport operators. AS 24, a subsidiary of IRU member TotalEnergies, made a strong technological bet four years ago that is now paying off for its customers.

IRU and more than 40 European transport organisations jointly call on EU Member States and the European Commission to allocate at least EUR 100 billion to the next Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding round under the forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

CEOs and senior figures from North American trucking companies came together in Mexico City to exchange views on cross-border policies at IRU’s annual North American Leadership Dialogue – amid the upcoming revision of the Mexico–United States–Canada trade agreement.