LEGAL ASPECTS OF INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR

Transport has a significant harmful impact on the environment, contributing to air, water and soil pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. Burning fossil fuels in transportation means releases large amounts of CO₂ and other pollutants, degrading air quality and contributing to global warming. Transport also causes noise pollution and habitat destruction due to infrastructure development like roads and highways. On the other hand, sustainable transport seeks to minimise these negative effects by promoting cleaner technologies, such as electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, and improving fuel efficiency. Industrial symbiosis in the transport sector refers to collaborative efforts between companies to optimise resources, reduce waste, and improve energy efficiency. Industrial symbiosis in the transport sector can include recycling vehicles and their parts, using alternative fuels, sharing infrastructure, etc. There are several successful practical examples of industrial symbiosis in the transport sector. While no single legal framework is dedicated solely to industrial symbiosis in transport, the legal aspects of this concept are covered through broader regulations related to sustainability, the circular economy, and emissions reduction. These legal frameworks include European Union directives and Member States' national laws as well as international treaties and rules of most important international organisations dealing with transport. At the European Union level, the European Green Deal is a key policy initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. It encourages emissions reduction in the transport sector by promoting energy efficiency, vehicle electrification, and circular economy principles - key components of industrial symbiosis. Within the Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan promotes recycling, waste reduction, and the sharing of resources across industries, which is fundamental to industrial symbiosis. Industrial symbiosis also includes legal aspects related to waste management (Waste Framework Directive), alternative fuels and energy regulations (Directive (EU) 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, Regulation (EU) 2019/631 setting CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles), legislation on the use of shared infrastructure, etc. However, inadequate legislation (regulation) is very often mentioned as a type of industrial symbiosis barrier. The paper lists various issues and regulations that regulate sustainability in transport. The paper presents the most important provisions of European regulations aimed at reducing environmental pollution, especially those related to transport and those that mention industrial symbiosis as a form of environmentally friendly production and activity.