When Richard Burke arrived at the Commission in 1977, Transport was an area of Community policy which represented 6.6% of Community GNP - a bit more than agriculture. The annual turnover of Community shipowners and airlines was some 19m. EUA. Trade, industry, energy, environmental, social, regional and fiscal affairs all interacted closely with transport. Burke set out during his Commissionership to encourage a new dynamism in Community affairs in the field of transport and make progress on various fronts during the period up to 1981.

The Green Paper on the infrastructure plan for Europe, 6 November 1979 (dubbed the Piano Burke by the Italians), was one of his most important achievements in the Jenkins Commission. It set out an ambitious 20 year infrastructure plan for Europe. Taking into account the future enlargement of the Community to include Greece, Spain and Portugal the paper highlighted the importance of improved road, rail and air links. Furthermore, it pushed the member states towards the adoption of a common shipping policy. The paper also touched on cheaper air fares for the public.

He also relaunched the Channel Tunnel which had been stopped in 1973.