On 8 November 2017, the European Commission proposed new targets for the EU fleet wide average CO2 emissions of new passenger cars and vans to help accelerate the transition to low- and zero emission vehicles. The new targets will apply from 2025 and 2030 respectively.

The new package follows the “Europe on the move” package of May 2017, containing a wide-ranging set of initiatives aimed at making traffic safer; encourage smart road charging; reduce CO2 emissions, air pollution and congestion; cut red-tape for businesses; fight illicit employment and ensure proper conditions and rest times for workers.

Moreover, in the context of the Paris Agreement, the Commission presented in June 2016 a European strategy for low-emission mobility, which outlined concrete actions that need to be taken to help Europe stay competitive and be able to respond to the increasing mobility needs of people and goods.

The new package includes:

• new CO2 standards to help manufacturers embrace innovation and supply low-emission vehicles to the market, to help pushing the transition from conventional combustion-engine vehicles to clean ones;
• the Clean Vehicles Directive to promote clean mobility solutions in public procurement tenders;
• an action plan and investment solutions for the trans-European deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure. The aim is to increase the level of ambition of national plans, to increase investment and improve consumer acceptance;
• the revision of the Combined Transport Directive, which promotes the combined use of different modes for freight transport;
• the Directive on Passenger Coach Services, to stimulate the development of bus connections over long distances across Europe and offer alternative options to the use of private cars, will contribute to further reducing transport emissions and road congestion;
• the battery initiative that has strategic importance to the EU’s integrated industrial policy so that the vehicles and other mobility solutions of tomorrow and their components will be invented and produced in the EU.

Further information is available at the following LINK.

Davide Scavuzzo