The industry’s unified voice indicates that a strong transport sector is a prerequisite for a competitive, resilient and sustainable Europe, and that a key element is modern infrastructure financed from the EU budget. The International Road Transport Union (IRU) and more than 40 European industry organisations (including ACEA, ESPORG and UETR) sent a letter to EU Member States and the European Commission with an urgent appeal.
Transport as the backbone of the single market
The signatories of the letter stress that transport is the “backbone” of the EU single market and Europe’s link to the world. An efficient and modern transport network has a direct impact on the economy’s resilience, defence readiness and the competitiveness of industry, as well as on the security of supply chains.
The organisations call on Member States and the European Commission to ensure an adequate transport budget in the next multiannual financial framework, including increasing funding for the Connecting Europe Facility instrument to at least €100bn.
“The EU cannot deliver competitiveness, decarbonisation and security if transport infrastructure is underfunded” – emphasised Raluca Marian, IRU EU Director.
She added that sustained EU investment is needed in cross-border corridors, infrastructure ready for zero-emission vehicles, a higher number of safe and secure parking areas, as well as in digitalisation and smart infrastructure solutions—areas that national budgets alone cannot provide.
Geopolitics and climate increase pressure to invest
The authors of the letter point out that rising geopolitical and economic tensions, as well as ongoing climate change, require a rapid strengthening of Europe’s transport network. This includes, among other things, removing bottlenecks, filling missing links and increasing capacity, as well as adapting infrastructure to climate change and military mobility needs.
The document also highlighted that European infrastructure is still not fully adapted for dual use, while at the same time remaining vulnerable to disruptions—both natural and man-made.
Competitiveness depends on reliable infrastructure
The industry notes that if Europe wants to accelerate the transition to a climate-neutral economy and boost industrial competitiveness, it must ensure an efficient transport network connecting production sites with markets.
Reliable infrastructure is also crucial for economic and territorial cohesion, securing supplies of critical raw materials and ensuring supply chain continuity.
Ambitions are growing faster than funding
Despite growing investment needs, the sector continues to face underfunding. Projects with high social value often do not generate sufficient financial returns, therefore—as the organisations emphasise—EU grants are essential to close financing gaps and attract private and national capital.
The CEF remains a key tool for supporting projects with European added value; however, the number of applications has for years exceeded the available budget.
Industry: reverse the underfunding trend
The signatories call for reversing the trend of chronic underfunding of transport and aligning the budget with the scale of political ambitions. In their view, a strong European transport network is the foundation for delivering EU priorities—from security to economic competitiveness.
The demand remains unequivocal: the next multiannual financial framework should guarantee adequate funding for transport, including at least €100bn for the CEF instrument.
