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The EP’s Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN) adopted its opinion on the Commission proposal revising the CO2 standards for new heavy-duty vehicles on 19 September. MEPs suggested substantial changes to the proposal regarding its scope, the ambition of the targets as well as incentive mechanisms.

In its opinion, the TRAN committee proposed interalia to exclude the heaviest trucks, namely vehicle groups 11, 12 and 16 from the scope of the Regulation. CLECAT particularly appreciates this amendment and has repeatedly called for the exclusion of the heaviest trucks from the scope of the Regulation, as the electrification potential of these heavy-duty vehicles is not sufficiently mature to decarbonise this type of vehicle with electric batteries or green hydrogen. MEPs also suggested to include CO2 neutral fuels and a Carbon Correction Factor in the Regulation to take the role of sustainable synthetic fuels into account in the decarbonisation of road transport.

MEPs however proposed to reduce the level of ambition of the Regulation with regards to the CO2 emissions targets: -30% in 2030, -50% in 2035 and -75% from 2040. CLECAT worries that reducing the ambition of the targets would not bring the emissions of road freight transport in line with the EU climate objectives. CLECAT considers the Commission proposal as a balanced approach between the need to rapidly decarbonise road freight transport by bringing more zero-emission vehicles on the market and maintaining the possibility to rely on internal combustion engines, when conditions are necessary (very heavy payloads, lack of infrastructure availability in specific regions etc). CLECAT therefore supports the 90% emission reduction target by 2040, as proposed by the Commission.

The TRAN opinion will feed the exchanges currently held in the ENVI Committee, which leads the Parliament’s work on this file. Members of the ENVI Committee are expected to adopt their report on 23 October, with a Plenary vote scheduled for November.

Source: European Parliament