The bill of lading is one of the most important transport documents in maritime trade. Due to certain contract-like features it exhibits, it is sometimes incorrectly identified as a contract for the carriage of cargo by sea. The purpose of this article is to present the features of the bill of lading that exclude the possibility of equating this document with a contract for the carriage of goods by sea. A bill of lading is not a contract, but a unilateral declaration of the carrier’s will, in which the carrier confirms acceptance of the cargo on the ship and undertakes to deliver it to the legitimate recipient at the port of destination. A bill of lading is a transport document for cargo and a commodity security. For this reason, it cannot be said that a bill of lading is merely an evidence of the conclusion of a contract for the carriage of goods by sea.

The article presents the main elements of the European transport policy and the issues prevailing in the public debate in the last decade, i.e. 2010-2020. In particular, it analyses the challenges for European transport resulting from the need to combat climate change and to ensure a high level of environmental protection and safety, while taking into account the progressing technological revolution. The main assumptions of the European Green Deal, which aims to achieve climate neutrality by the European Union by 2050, are presented. The example of maritime transport serves to describe how various transport sectors are being brought into line with EU climate targets.