29 April 2022

CLECAT, EEA, ESC AND IRU JOINT STATEMENT ON THE EU ETS FOR ROAD TRANSPORT

CLECAT, together with the European Express Association (EEA), the European Shippers’ Council (ESC) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU) issued a joint statement on 26 April calling on Members of the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament to agree on the inclusion of road transport in the ETS provided that the following principles are embraced:

  • Include all road users: ETS road should simultaneously apply to all road users, ranging from individual car users to commercial freight transport. There should not be any discrimination between road users.

  • Boost uptake of low and zero carbon fuels: Earmarking the ETS for road income and investing these revenues in the uptake of low and zero emission carbon fuels and the deployment of interoperable refuelling/recharging infrastructure is a key for the transition to be made in the coming years. Without sufficient funding the road transport sector will be deprived from a unique opportunity to accelerate sustainable turnaround.

  • Avoid multiple CO2 taxes, charges and duties and use only one single instrument as this is the most effective: ETS for road will provide for an EU-harmonised framework to effectively reduce the CO2 footprint of the road transport sector. Any national ETS schemes for road transport or other CO2-related taxes charges or duties should be phased out.

If the above conditions are met, the inclusion of road transport in the ETS would support the decarbonisation ambitions of the road transport sector within the Single Market. All undersigned associations are of the opinion that incorporating provisions along these lines into the ETS Road text will have road transport contribute its fair share in achieving the EU climate goals.