PARLIAMENT DIVIDED OVER CLEAN CORPORATE VEHICLES PROPOSAL
The European Parliament's Transport (TRAN) and Environment (ENVI) Committees have published their amendments to the draft report on the proposed Regulation on clean corporate vehicle fleets, highlighting significant political divisions over the Commission's proposal. The joint draft report, prepared by rapporteurs Tiemo Wölken (S&D, Germany) and François Kalfon (S&D, France), is scheduled for adoption in committee on 4 November 2026, with a final vote by the European Parliament expected later that month.
The amendments show that many of the concerns raised by Member States in the Council are equally reflected in Parliament. One of the main political fault lines concerns the legal instrument itself. Several MEPs question whether a directly applicable Regulation is appropriate, with amendments proposing to replace it with Commission recommendations, convert it into a Directive, or reject the proposal altogether.
The scope of the Regulation is another major point of debate. Numerous amendments seek to exclude SMEs, leasing and rental companies, vans, or low-emission vehicles from the proposal. Others would substantially narrow its application by introducing higher thresholds for company size, turnover, and fleet size. Several amendments also propose postponing any future measures concerning heavy-duty vehicles until the Commission has carried out a dedicated assessment.
The proposed mandatory national targets for zero-emission corporate cars and vans have also attracted considerable scrutiny. Views are equally divided on national support measures. While some MEPs advocate stronger financial incentives for zero-emission vehicles, others seek to delete Article 4 entirely, arguing that it would interfere with Member States' fiscal competences and restrict their ability to design technology-neutral support schemes.
From CLECAT's perspective, the parliamentary debate confirms that many legislators share concerns regarding the practical implementation of the proposal. CLECAT fully supports the decarbonisation of road freight and the transition towards zero-emission vehicles. However, we advocate an incentive-based approach rather than mandatory fleet purchase targets. The transition can only succeed if accompanied by adequate charging infrastructure, sufficient grid capacity, and affordable access to clean energy. Demand-side obligations that outpace these enabling conditions risk increasing costs while slowing the transition.
CLECAT also remains concerned about the proposal's potential indirect impact on SMEs. Even where smaller companies are formally excluded from the scope, obligations imposed on leasing and rental companies could reduce the availability of affordable vehicles and increase costs for small operators that rely on leased fleets. Finally, CLECAT does not support limiting Member States' financial support exclusively to zero-emission vehicles or introducing Made in Europe requirements. Such measures risk undermining technological neutrality, fragmenting the Single Market, and creating unnecessary barriers to fleet renewal without contributing directly to the Regulation's climate objectives.