Opening the Connecting Europe Days 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for the development of a “true Transport Union” capable of supporting the Single Market, strengthening European competitiveness and preparing transport infrastructure for a changing and more volatile environment.
For shippers, several elements of the speech are particularly relevant.
Completing the TEN-T network and removing bottlenecks was highlighted as a key priority. Von der Leyen stressed the need to overcome barriers between national transport systems and create a genuinely European network connecting cities, ports and terminals. She pointed to the planned high-speed rail connection between Lisbon and Madrid as an example of how missing links can be addressed. The Commission estimates that completing the TEN-T network could increase EU GDP by 2.4% by 2050, equivalent to €467 billion.
This ambition will require significant investment. The Commission has proposed more than €50 billion for transport under the next Connecting Europe Facility, more than twice the current level of funding. For shippers, continued investment in cross-border rail, road, inland waterway and port infrastructure will be important for improving connectivity, reducing bottlenecks and providing more reliable transport options.
Innovation and alternative transport technologies were another major theme. The Commission President highlighted electrification and automation, including the expected growth of zero-emission trucks from around 26,000 today to potentially 400,000 by 2030. She stressed that this transition will depend on the availability of reliable cross-border charging infrastructure. The objective is to develop European charging corridors rather than separate national networks.
The speech also pointed to the need for more coordinated rules for emerging technologies. Eighteen Member States have agreed to cooperate on large-scale cross-border testbeds for autonomous vehicles, with common principles for approvals and coordinated permitting. For logistics operators, greater regulatory coordination across borders could help reduce fragmentation and facilitate the deployment of new technologies.
Transport resilience and climate adaptation were presented as another central priority. Von der Leyen highlighted the increasing impact of heat, floods and drought on railways, roads, tunnels and inland waterways. She announced that the Commission will present a new European framework for climate resilience, with the aim of ensuring that infrastructure built today is better prepared for future climate conditions.
Finally, the Commission President stressed the importance of extending European transport connections to neighbouring countries, including Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans. Investment in connections with these countries is presented as part of the broader development of the European Transport Union.
For shippers, the speech therefore points towards a transport policy focused on better cross-border connectivity, increased infrastructure investment, greater interoperability, deployment of new technologies and stronger resilience to climate and other disruptions. These priorities will be important for the reliability, flexibility and efficiency of European supply chains in the coming years.
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