Newsletters

The European Parliament adopted in Plenary session on 8 June its position on the revision of the Regulation on CO2 standards for new light duty vehicles. MEPs largely support the ENVI report adopted on 11 May, endorsing the Commission proposal to reach 100% new sales of zero-emission cars and vans by 2035.

On 22nd June, the European Parliament adopted in Plenary session with a large majority its amendments to the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). MEPs voted for a second time on this file, after failing to reach a majority in a first vote on 8 June. MEPs supported the inclusion of emissions from maritime transport into the main ETS and the creation of a separate ETS for road transport emissions.

In June, the European Commission approved three Italian aid measures supporting rail freight. These include a €55 million scheme to encourage freight transport to shift from road to rail, a €130 million scheme to support both the rail freight and rail commercial passenger sectors in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as a €374 million support to compensate rail freight transport companies for the damage suffered during the period between 12 March and 31 May 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) has published the 2022 Report on Railway Safety and Interoperability in the EU. The biennial report highlights progress with railway safety and interoperability in the EU and allows an in-depth understanding of the European railways situation and its evolution over time. The data contained in the report can be used to identify areas for improvement towards reaching a more efficient and effective railway system: the Single European Railway Area.

On 23 June, the WTO launched the Trade Connectivity Heatmap, which gives a broad overview of the trade relationships of more than 180 economies across 70 different product categories.

On 22 June, the European Parliament adopted its position on the regulation establishing the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Parliament is now ready to start negotiations with Member States.

Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean responded on 2nd June to a question sent by MEP Kosma Złotowski (ECR, Poland) in December 2021 criticising the Commission for not reacting to Austrian restrictions on truck traffic in the Tyrol region.

On 20 June, the European Commission adopted a legislative proposal setting out temporary rules on Ukrainian driving documents to allow Ukrainian citizens residing in the EU under the temporary protection regime to continue to use their Ukrainian driving licence without needing to exchange it for an EU driving licence or to sit a new driving test.

On 7 June, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released April 2022 data for global air cargo markets, showing a drop in demand and contraction in capacity. The effects of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in Asia, as well as the Russian war in Ukraine continue to create a challenging operating backdrop that is driving the decline.

On 16 June, President Biden signed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) 2022 into law. Addressing the Congress on the OSRA President Biden noted: “In my State of the Union address, I called on Congress to address ocean carriers’ high prices and unfair practices because rising ocean shipping costs are a major contributing factor to increased costs for American families."