COVID-19: Polis joins call for support and recognition for transport sector

Polis has today joined groups from across Europe highlighting the need for support and recognition for the transport sector during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The letter entitled 'Transport Keeps Us Going', signed by over 30 transport organisations, sets out the vital role that the transport sector will play in the coming months as European countries aim to combat the coronavirus outbreak whilst keeping citizens and businesses connected and supported during this difficult period.

The letter explains how transport has a crucial role to play in the supply of goods, in particular medicines, medical devices, food and other essential commodities needed to overcome this crisis. The transport sector will also prove to be a vital instrument in these times where many European citizens are restricted in their mobility.

Among the points made in the letter are:

• Transport and logistics play a key role in the supply of essential goods in this critical period: stress that transport infrastructure is in this respect critical infrastructure
• Respect and support must be shown to all workers in the supply chain enabling the continuity of transport services, the movement of goods and essential commodities, as well as the repatriation of stranded citizens, and thus playing a major role in helping the European citizens to overcome this crisis
• ƒMember States should enable smooth border crossings for freight transport, both intra-EU and with third countries, in this respect fully support the establishment of green freight lanes in coordination with the concerned transport stakeholders
• ƒPolicy makers should assist the heavily affected transport sector in its recovery, to ensure future connectivity for both passengers and freight, and to revitalise the arteries of the internal market as soon as the crisis is over.

To read the letter in full, please see here.