Road transport: framework for the deployment of intelligent transport systems and for interfaces with other transport modes

This Commission staff working document contains the executive summary of the ex post evaluation of the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Directive 2010/40/EU.

Considering that the first working programme has been completed and given the significant developments in the sector, it is important to take stock and verify the adequacy of the current EU legislative framework for ITS.

The ex-post evaluation takes into account:

- the implementation of the Directive;

- the delegated acts adopted under its terms;

- the working programmes adopted by the Commission;

- the Commission’s guidelines for reporting, and the activities of committees and experts.

It also considers relevant aspects of the ITS action plan and standards and non-binding measures aimed at facilitating the deployment of ITS in road transport. It assesses the implementation of the Directive in all 28 Member States between 2008 and 2017.

Main findings

The evaluation concludes that the as the use of ITS is increasing, the Directive remains a relevant tool. The delegated acts adopted under the Directive also remain relevant, while some stakeholders consider some delegated acts could be extended to increase their relevance.

In general, the Directive has had a positive impact on the deployment of ITS across the EU. However, given that the deployment of ITS and the implementation of the delegated regulations are still at an early stage, there is not a lot of evidence to determine whether this already significantly helps to improve the continuity of ITS services across the EU, and in turn to reduce the negative externalities (accidents, congestion, pollution) of road transport.

Considering the cost-effectiveness of reporting obligations, the most significant remaining issue is the lack of comparability between Member State reports.

In general, the Directive and its delegated acts are internally coherent. A point of attention is the frequency and timing of reporting obligations under the various pieces of legislation, and also the consistency of terminology used in the different pieces of legislation.

The Directive is expected to become even more interdependent with other legislation, in particular on aspects related to vehicles, telecommunications, cybersecurity, liability and the processing and flow of data. Specific attention should therefore be paid to ensure coherence between different instruments, while avoiding unnecessary administrative burden.

It is concluded that the EU level is considered the most relevant to provide a framework for the coordinated and coherent deployment of ITS. Action at national level — even if promoted through non-binding action at EU level — could not be expected to address the key problem of incoherent, inconsistent and fragmented development of ITS across the EU. Likewise, while at international level there are mechanisms and structures in place, they cannot be considered sufficient to ensure a comprehensive EU-wide approach as currently provided by the Directive.

Lastly, the Commission stresses that it does not seem justified to repeal the Directive, as such repeal would most likely lead to a slowing down of ITS deployment and increase the risk of divergence and fragmentation. In addition, if the Directive were repealed, specifications would remain unchanged without a clear way to evolve, and may thus become outdated in the fast evolving domain of ITS.