Meeting the EU Commissioner for Transport

On December 7^th, Ms. Violeta Bulc, the EU Commissioner for transport, visited the House of the European Union to take part in a public discussion with European citizens. Students of our school (classes 6C and 8A), as well as lobbyists and activists from different organizations attended the event and contributed to the discussion.

Commissioner Bulc told us that most innovations start with an ambitious vision or a dream. One of her main goals is decarbonisation. That means that there should be no CO₂ emissions at all by 2050. Instead of using oil to power cars, we should use renewable and clean sources of energy. To achieve that, the EU does not only invest into green transport, including hybrid and electric cars but also into the pollution-free production of cars and batteries.

These efforts also include the transport of goods by lorry, train, ship and aircraft. As far as trains are concerned, she is planning to extend the railway system in Europe and to use standardised rail tracks and engines in all EU countries. There are also plans to introduce an EU wide train-ticket for young people to encourage them to get to know Europe and its different cultures.

In the future the use of drones will be widespread. They will be used for various purposes such as security issues, transportation of goods, medical support or just as a spare time occupation. For that reason, more regulations such as registration, licences, and restricted areas for use will be needed. They also should be pollution free.

The European Union is even considering to support the development of flying cars. Digitalisation will be a key for better solutions and a more advanced transport system that suits our future needs. To reach all these ambitious goals it is necessary to provide money for research and testing.

We have learned that EU decisions are not made by a single person but by professional teams of experts who try to make the European Union more attractive for future generations. Commissioner Bulc also stressed that especially young people are an important part of the EU’s future. So all their contributions and opinions are more than welcome.

Visiting the House of the European Union was a new and interesting experience for us. We liked the idea that all Commissioners take part in discussions with EU citizens in all member states.

Students of 6C