Marco Polo funding

The Commission has announced another round of funding under the ‘Marco Polo II’ programme for companies trying to reduce road congestion and environmental impact. Companies applying for funding must calculate the total environmental benefits of their project in volume of freight shifted from road, tonnes of CO₂ savings, and other factors. T&E policy officer Nina Renshaw said: ‘The Marco Polo programme is a good example of how the EU could spend its money wisely, but €59 million for a full year is a fraction of the vastly higher sums available from the structural and TENs funds where the environmental criteria aren’t so demanding.’