Market based instruments (MBIs) in EU transport and environment policy

Ninety-eight percent of transport runs on oil and the sector is responsible for 70% of the EU’s oil consumption. By 2030 the EU will import 86% of its oil. Given this, trans- port energy use is a central issue; not only environmental but also economic and geopolitical.

Action in the transport sector is particularly important because it is the fastest growing source of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the EU, and many of its activities are still outside the scope of any policy control1.

Also, as transport is undertaken by millions of individuals and small operators it is hard or impossible to regulate transport activity directly. Therefore MBI are particularly suitable in this sector to send correct signals while giving sufficient flexibility.