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OPINION (COM(2023)0088 – C90025/2023 – 2023/0042(COD))

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1242 as regards strengthening the CO₂ emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles and integrating reporting obligations, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/956

TRAN-AD-748959

Committee on Transport and Tourism · Rapporteur: Andris Ameriks

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The Committee on Transport and Tourism proposes amendments to the Commission's proposal to strengthen CO2 emission standards for new heavy-duty vehicles. It lowers the 2030, 2035 and 2040 fleet-wide reduction targets, keeps the zero- and low-emission vehicle incentive, and adds a carbon correction factor for CO2 neutral fuels. It sets an 80% zero-emission share for new urban buses from 2030, moving to 100% in line with market and enabling conditions, and excludes interurban class II low-entry buses from that mandate. It requires the Commission to monitor enabling conditions such as charging and refuelling infrastructure, road user charges and carbon pricing, and to review targets and waive excess emission premiums if conditions fall short. It directs revenue from excess emission premiums and administrative fines to a specific budget line for automotive sector support in the Social Climate Fund, and asks for measures to protect workers and SMEs in the transition.

Committee position. The committee proposes to amend the Commission proposal by lowering the CO2 reduction targets, keeping the zero- and low-emission vehicle incentive, introducing a carbon correction factor for CO2 neutral fuels, setting an 80% zero-emission urban bus share from 2030, and directing excess emission premium revenue to the Social Climate Fund.

Key points

  1. The committee calls on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee to take its amendments into account.
  2. It lowers the fleet-wide CO2 reduction targets for all vehicle sub-groups to 30% for 2030-2034, 50% for 2035-2039 and 75% from 2040.
  3. It sets the zero-emission share for new urban buses at 80% from 2030, rising to 100% in line with market and enabling conditions.
  4. It keeps the zero- and low-emission vehicle factor for the whole duration of the regulation and raises its maximum reduction of average specific CO2 emissions to 10%.
  5. It introduces a carbon correction factor to reflect the greenhouse gas intensity and share of CO2 neutral fuels when assessing compliance with CO2 emission reductions.
  6. It defines CO2 neutral fuels as fuels with net zero emissions in use, including biofuels, biogas, bioliquids, biomass fuels, renewable fuels of non-biological origin and recycled carbon fuels.
  7. It requires the Commission to develop, at the latest one year after entry into force, a methodology for registering heavy-duty vehicles running exclusively on CO2 neutral fuels.
  8. It requires the Commission to report annually from 31 December 2025 on enabling conditions, including zero-emission vehicle registrations, charging and refuelling infrastructure, CO2-differentiated road charges and allowance prices.
  9. It provides that if enabling conditions are not in line with the targets, the targets shall be reviewed and excess CO2 emission premiums waived.
  10. It directs revenue from excess emission premiums and administrative fines to a specific budget line for automotive sector support in the Social Climate Fund.
  11. It allows emission credits and debts to be carried over without mandatory clearing in 2029, 2034 and 2039, and deletes the penalty for positive debts in those years.
  12. It exempts vehicle groups 11, 12 and 16 from the CO2 emission targets, keeps vocational vehicles exempt but allows zero- and low-emission vocational vehicles to count for compliance, and excludes class II low-entry buses from the urban bus zero-emission mandate.

Who is affected

  • Heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers, who face lower CO2 reduction targets and continued zero- and low-emission vehicle incentives.
  • Public transport operators and authorities, who face an 80% zero-emission urban bus share from 2030 instead of 100%.
  • Road hauliers and transport operators, who benefit from monitoring of enabling conditions and possible waiver of excess emission premiums.
  • Workers and SMEs in the automotive supply chain, for whom the committee seeks just transition measures and support.

Figures and deadlines

  • 30% CO2 reduction for all vehicle sub-groups for reporting periods 2030 to 2034.
  • 50% CO2 reduction for all vehicle sub-groups for reporting periods 2035 to 2039.
  • 75% CO2 reduction for all vehicle sub-groups from 2040 onwards.
  • 80% zero-emission share for new urban buses from the reporting period of 2030.
  • Zero- and low-emission vehicle factor may reduce average specific CO2 emissions by a maximum of 10%.
  • Commission to report annually from 31 December 2025 on enabling conditions.
  • Commission to publish a common Union methodology for full life-cycle CO2 emissions at the latest 31 December 2026.
  • Commission to adopt delegated acts on Article 3b(2) not later than 18 months after entry into force.