10 February 2023

JOINT LETTER IN SUPPORT OF A FASTER ROLL OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS INFRASTRUCTURE

On 9 February, CLECAT signed a letter together with ACEA, ECG ESPORG, AXSOL, MECHATRONIK, MILENCE and UETR – as part of the E-Parking Task Force, calling on the European Parliament and the Council to demonstrate strategic leadership, vision and ambition with regards to speeding up development of alternative fuel infrastructure in Europe within the TEN-T network, with Safe and Secure Truck Parking Areas (SSTPAs) as key charging hubs.

The signatories call for compatibility and complementarity between two pieces of legislation currently under negotiations, namely the revision of the TEN-T guidelines and the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), so as to establish ambitious targets which will lead Europe to the green and sustainable future its citizens deserve.

Among other, the united road transport industry stakeholders therefore invite the legislators to commit to ambitious infrastructure targets to support the deployment and zero-carbon heavy-duty vehicles, recognise and support SSTPAs as strategic EU infrastructure hubs which will also promote and ensure the well-being and safety of professional drivers. The letter also invites the Commission to substantially increase the current EU support and funding for the development of alternative fuels infrastructure and SSTPAs, as well as to ensure synergies between TEN-T and TEN-E with additional co-funding for high-capacity charging stations together with on-site renewable energy deployment.