In its ongoing attempt to manage predicted increases in freight transport, the European Commission is taking steps to encourage the use of intermodal systems, especially containers. Integration of the different modes within the transport chain will mean improved flexibility, quality, and cost effectiveness and will stimulate competition between transporters instead of between transport modes.

Road congestion is steadily increasing throughout the European Union and is currently estimated to cost around 2% of its GDP. A further estimated 2% is lost as a result of road accidents and road transport-related pollution and noise. The problem is aggravated by the fact that our roads are increasingly being used to the exclusion of other channels such as railways and inland waterways. Projections show that by 2005 road transport will account for 75% of all European inland freight carriage, with the quantity of goods transported by road expected to double by 2010 unless new arrangements are made.

The development of a seamless web of integrated transport chains, linking road, rail and waterways is a key objective of the EU's Common Transport Policy, as outlined in the 2001 White Paper "European transport policy for 2010: time to decide". The integration of truck, train, and ship transport, including on inland waterways, faces a range of obstacles as we move toward the optimum use of all existing infrastructures.