EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES TARGETED AMENDMENT CO2 RULES FOR HDV’S
On Thursday, 12 March 2026, the European Parliament approved a targeted amendment to the EU Regulation on CO₂ emission performance standards for heavy-duty vehicles, marking a swift response to mounting concerns from automotive industry stakeholders. The sector is likely to miss its 2025 annual emission reduction targets, raising the prospect of significant financial penalties.
In response, the European Commission proposed a temporary flexibility mechanism that allows manufacturers to generate “credits” for overshoot emissions. These credits can be offset by additional emission reductions achieved by 2030. The mechanism effectively enables manufacturers to average their compliance over the 2025-2029 period, rather than meeting annual targets. Whereas this approach offers short-term relief and helps avoid immediate fines, it preserves the overall CO₂ reduction objectives for the decade.
The proposal received overwhelming support in Parliament and passed with no amendments. Member States have already signaled their backing, with the body of EU Member States’ deputy ambassadors (Coreper 1) endorsing the proposal on 18 February 2026. Formal adoption by the Council is expected to follow swiftly.
The amendment comes ahead of a broader revision of the heavy-duty vehicle emissions regulation, which is set to take place at a later stage.
Source: European Parliament