Newsletters

On 2 June, the Council of the EU adopted three general approaches on the transport-related files of the Fit for 55 Package, namely the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), FuelEU Maritime and RefuelEU Aviation.

Transport Ministers retained the fundamental aspects of the AFIR proposal on the deployment of charging and refuelling road infrastructure on the TEN-T network, as well as the deployment of onshore power supply in ports. However, the Council chose a more gradual approach in the deployment of charging infrastructure dedicated to heavy-duty vehicles: charging points must be installed on a certain share of the TEN-T network in each Member State as from 2025, focusing on the busiest roads. All TEN-T roads would then have to be covered by 2030, with some exceptions for the regions with less traffic. Given the anticipated significant technological and market developments that will affect heavy-duty vehicles, the Commission shall review the provisions related to heavy-duty vehicles by the end of 2024, before a full review of the Regulation at the end of 2026.

With regards to FuelEU Maritime, the Council’s general approach adopts the core aspects of the proposal, especially the Commission ambition on the greenhouse gas intensity reduction targets of the energy used on board ships. To avoid carbon leakage with ships calling at non-EU ports close to EU borders to avoid compliance, Member States agreed on a provision excluding non-EU transhipments ports within 300 nautical miles of the EU territory from the scope of the Regulation. The provisions on the use of onshore power supply have been revised to make sure that by 2030, only ships moored at quayside shall connect to OPS and use it for electrical power demand at berth.

The general approach on the ReFuelEU Aviation proposal maintains the obligation for fuel suppliers to supply a minimum share of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) from 2025 and, from 2030, a minimum share of synthetic fuels, with both shares increasing progressively until 2050. Member States would have the possibility to apply these requirements to airports below a certain traffic threshold, and to increase their sub-mandate of synthetic fuels at national level. Transport Ministers also agreed to extend the scope of eligible SAF to other certified biofuels complying with the RED sustainability and emissions saving criteria, up to a maximum of 3%, with the exception of biofuels from food and feed crops, which are excluded.

The general approaches adopted will allow the next Council presidency, which will be held by Czech Republic as of 1^st July 2022 to start negotiations with the European Parliament in trilogues once it has adopted its positions.

Source: Council of the EU