TRAN DISCUSSES AMENDMENTS TO THE AFIR PROPOSAL
On 19 April, the EP’s Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN) exchanged views on the amendments submitted to Rapporteur Ismail Ertug’s (S&D, Germany) draft report on the proposal for an Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). CLECAT is pleased that a majority its proposals have been supported by many MEPs.
CLECAT appreciates the broad agreement on the need to increase the required power output of heavy-duty vehicles charging infrastructure. Higher targets will help provide sufficient infrastructure to match the uptake of battery-electric trucks. With regards to hydrogen refuelling stations, CLECAT is supportive of the Rapporteur’s amendments to move the deployment targets forward by three years, from 2030 to 2027.
MEPs expressed diverging views on the provision on the role of LNG for heavy-duty vehicles. CLECAT further stresses that bio-CNG and bio-LNG can be used at least as bridging technologies until zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles such as battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell trucks are commercially available at scale for long-distance transport. Therefore, CLECAT welcomes the amendments requiring Member States to deploy bio-LNG and bio-CNG refuelling stations for HDVs along the TEN-T network.
The adoption of the report in the TRAN Committee is scheduled for mid-July, with a Plenary vote expected after the summer break.