As can be seen from the table above, the scenarios lead to deviations from the baseline scenario, regarding the average annual growth rates (AAGR) of the overall EU transport performance. The main assumptions behind these deviations will be described below.
Scenario I “Global Strength”
Within this scenario, the EU is expected to assert and expand its position within the global economic framework, not at least due to an above average acceleration of its technological innovations. As a result, logistic strategies will continue towards off-shoring, global sales channel, flexible supply base and an enforced deployment of outsourcing - supported by the enhancement of ICT in logistics, agility and supply chain integration – which will lead to a considerable increase of global exchange of goods. Hence, the European logistics and freight transport activity will significantly increase by approximately 60 % between 2010 and 2030 (+ 2.4% p.a. instead of 1.6% p.a. in the EU reference scenario).
Scenario II “Regional Strength”
This scenario can be seen in contrast to the Global Strength scenario: An enlarged intra-EU supply and demand base, also fostered by a wide scale EU enlargement will lead to a prosperous Europe, enabling the EU economy to even overcompensate the decreasing global exchange of goods as a result of global increasing trade barriers. The regionalisation of demand and supply will lead to shorter transport distances for higher volumes of goods due enhancing onshoring and nearshoring activities, thus an increase of the AAGR of 1.9%.
Scenario III “Global Protectionism”
A significant growth of global protectionist measures, in particular outside the EU, will hinder the global exchange of goods and services. In contrast to the “Regional Strength” scenario, the EU is not able to overcome its global economic dependency. Therefore the tendencies towards on-shoring and near shoring with shorter transport distances, the decrease of the global sales channel, the flexible supply bases and outsourcing will lead to a decreasing overall transport performance with an AAGR even below the EU reference scenario (+ 1.0% p.a.).
Scenario IV “European Paralysis”
This scenario – in its effects similar to the latter scenario - can be characterised by an economic paralysis in the EU, where the EU economy will not be able to overcome the economic decline. A shift of production and consumption of medium / high value goods and services to the US and particularly Asia as well as to minor extent to South and Central America, leads to a stagnating economic activity. This situation is aggravated by the non-enlargement of the EU and the ageing society in the EU 28 in line with the economic downturn and the reduced demand of labour force. Hence, this scenario results in an even lower growth rate of the overall transport performance, than in the Global Protectionism scenario amounting to 0.8% p.a.