EU road safety funding needs reform in next EU budget says ETSC

Existing EU funding for road safety improvements is currently spread across numerous instruments and institutions which leads to overlaps in some areas, and gaps in others, according to ETSC in a new briefing calling for reform in the next long-term EU budget which will run from 2028  to 2034.

A large proportion of EU spending is currently given over to new and upgraded road infrastructure but it is not clear what proportion of this spending leads to improvements to safety. ETSC is calling for a mechanism to track and trace EU funds for road safety, and to evaluate the impact.  

ETSC says that road maintenance is central to road safety, but spending tends to be focused on new builds or major upgrades, with maintenance left as an afterthought. 

ETSC has also raised concerns about how research funding for road safety is currently allocated.  Funding is often given over to projects that primarily promote EU industrial interests and competitiveness, rather than addressing core road safety research needs.  Researcher time is also wasted applying for, setting up and running short-term projects rather than addressing longer-term strategic objectives, for example to reduce drink-driving or the new risks that may come with greater automation.

ETSC is also asking policymakers to consider offering a funding platform for EU-wide road safety stakeholders such as traffic police networks, victims groups and safety advocates.  For years, the EU has funded environmental, health, trade union, and social action organisations through core funding grants, while road safety funding has been limited to short-term one-off projects.  

ETSC’s new briefing on the next EU budget can be downloaded from the website at: https://etsc.eu/eu-multiannual-financial-framework-2028-2034-funds-for-road-safety/