This indicator is no longer being regularly updated
Assessment made on 01 Feb 2007
ClassificationTransport (Primary theme)
DPSIR: Driving force
- TERM 023
Policy issue: Increase vehicle occupancy and load factors
Table 1 summarises the subsidies found broken down by subsidy type and transport mode. The total value of subsidies that appear directly in public budgets (229 billion annually) greatly exceeds the value of tax and VAT exemptions (40 to 65 billion).
More than two-thirds of the subsidies found in public budgets are for infrastructure. Infrastructure subsidies, however, only make up one half of the total subsidy.
- Around two-thirds of the infrastructure subsidy goes to road transport.
- Rail is the main recipient of other direct transfers.
- Fuel-tax and VAT exemptions are the most relevant subsidies for air and to some extent also waterborne transport.
EUR 30 billion annually could not be assigned to one specific mode (e.g. support for multi-modal projects) and is therefore listed in the "multiple modes" category. In general, environmental objectives are not significant motivators for the bulk of subsidies. Rail transport subsidies however represent an exception, as they are sometimes justified on the basis of the better environmental performance of rail compared with road and air transport.
For references, please go to www.eea.europa.eu/soer or scan the QR code.
This briefing is part of the EEA's report The European Environment - State and Outlook 2015. The EEA is an official agency of the EU, tasked with providing information on Europe's environment.
PDF generated on 22 Oct 2016, 06:27 PM