EP FORMALLY APPROVES TARGETED AMENDMENT TO EUROVIGNETTE
On 7 October, the European Parliament in Plenary session largely adopted the targeted amendment to the Eurovignette Directive, providing the possibility for Member States to exempt zero-emission trucks from road charges until June 2031. The decision aims to incentivise the adoption of cleaner vehicles by reducing operational costs for transport operators and accelerating the shift toward sustainable freight and passenger transport.
CLECAT welcomes the Parliament’s vote, representing a pragmatic and supportive measure to lower the total cost of ownership for zero-emission vehicles, making them a more viable option for operators across the logistics sector. In line with our position paper, the extension of road charge exemptions delivers much-needed investment certainty for the freight sector. CLECAT has long advocated for financial and fiscal incentives such as toll exemptions, tax rebates, and accelerated depreciation rates to drive the transition without imposing undue burdens on businesses, particularly SMEs.
The Council is expected to formally adopt the proposal shortly, before its publication in the Official Journal of the EU. CLECAT calls on Member States to fully use the possibility given by the Directive to provide the right incentives to road freight operators to switch to zero-emission vehicles. At the same time, a more extensive review of the Eurovignette Directive should avoid double charging of CO2 emissions with the introduction of ETS 2 in 2027 and better incentivise bridging technologies as proper solutions to the decarbonisation of the road freight sector and.
Source: European Parliament