Global Summit of Transport Ministers Calls for Better Transport Funding in View of Growing Mobility Demand

Leipzig/Paris--May 23, 2013

Global Summit of Transport Ministers calls for better transport funding in view of growing mobility demand “Transport infrastructure is the backbone of national economies”

Ministers from the 54 member countries of the International Transport Forum are calling for more investment in strategic transport infrastructure and services.

“Funding transport is a major challenge for transport policy today. The demand for mobility through high-quality transport networks and services is growing fast”, Ministers state in a joint Declaration on Funding Transport agreed today during their 2013 Summit in Leipzig, Germany.

“Transport infrastructure is much more than asphalt, concrete or steel; it is the backbone of national economies, providing connections for people and goods, access to jobs and services, and enabling trade and economic growth”, Ministers say.

“With investment in transport infrastructure a long-term venture, robust, credible funding solutions that support trade, economic growth and environmental and social sustainability are urgently needed.”

“With both public budgets and private sector resources under constraint, government authorities and industry must together seek new ways of ensuring stable, long-term funding for the sector.”

About the International Transport Forum

The International Transport Forum at the OECD is an intergovernmental organisation with 54 member countries. It acts as a strategic think tank with the objective of helping shape the transport policy agenda on a global level and ensuring that it contributes to economic growth, environmental protection, social inclusion and the preservation of human life and well-being.

In pursuit of its mission, the International Transport Forum gathers statistics, conducts co-operative research programmes and organises an annual summit which brings together Ministers and leading representatives from industry, civil society and academia to engage in focused debate about strategies for tomorrow’s transport.