Trends in road transport

The consumption of road transport has decreased at EU level and in half of EU countries since 2019 (-0.8%/year at EU level), after the strong reduction of 2020 due to COVID (-12%). A significant increase is observed in Italy and Portugal (1%/year) as well as in eastern countries such as Czechia, Poland Bulgaria and Romania (2-4%/year).
Previously, it grew slowly at EU level between 2010 and 2019 (+0.5%/year), with disparities across countries: significant growth in most Eastern countries, stabilization or slow growth in most Western countries.

At EU level, the decreasing trend between 2019 and 2023 can be mainly explained by the rise in motor fuel prices (+1.7%/year) and the slowdown in GDP growth (+1.1%/year).