The European Parliament adopted, by 445 votes to 152 with 30 abstentions, amendments to 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.
The matter was referred back to the committee responsible for inter-institutional negotiations.
CO2 emission reduction targets for heavy-duty vehicles
Parliament recalled that heavy-duty vehicles are currently responsible for more than a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions from road transport in the Union and for over 6% of Union's total greenhouse gas emissions, more than those from aviation or maritime transport. The EU’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy aims for a 90% reduction in the transport sector’s emissions by 2050, including hard-to-abate sectors like aviation and maritime transport.
Strengthening CO2 emission reduction requirements for heavy-duty vehicles and rolling-out the necessary recharging and refuelling infrastructure will play a key role in reducing the emissions of the entire heavy-duty vehicles fleet to achieve economy-wide climate-neutrality at the very latest by 2050.
Members called for strong CO2 emissions reduction targets for medium and heavy trucks, including vocational vehicles (such as garbage trucks, tippers or concrete mixers) and buses. The targets would be 45% for the period 2030-2034, 65% for 2035-2039 and 90% as of 2040.
Urban buses
Members backed the Commission's proposal that all new urban buses in the EU should be zero-emission (100% share of zero-emission vehicles) from 2030. They propose a temporary exemption (until 2035) for urban buses fuelled by biomethane, under strict conditions.
To benefit from this exemption, the vehicles should be fuelled by biomethane produced from a virtuous waste treatment process, such as the treatment of slurry, urban waste and urban wastewater, which must be guaranteed by certificates of origin.
Members also introduced provisions to ensure sustainable and resilient supply chains for urban buses through public procurement procedures.
Additional measures
By 6 months from the date of entry into force of this Regulation, the Commission should adopt a delegated act to harmonise the type-approval rules for vehicles with internal combustion engines converted to zero-emission vehicles as defined under this Regulation, in order to allow for series approval. By 30 June 2024, the Commission should present a legislative proposal to the European Parliament and to the Council to increase the share of zero-emission heavy-duty motor vehicles owner or leased by large fleet operators.
Zero-Emission HDVs Forum
Members proposed that as soon as the regulation enters into force, the European Commission should convene a ‘Zero-Emission HDV’ forum, which should be composed of representatives from public charging stations operators, electricity transmission system operators, long-haul transporters, urban logistic operators, public transport operators, civil society organisations, Member States and manufacturers, in order to work together on the effective and cost-efficient roll-out of recharging and refuelling infrastructure in view of the increased CO2 emissions reduction target set out in this draft regulation.
Methodology for registration of heavy-duty vehicles running exclusively on CO2 neutral fuels
Members introduced a definition of ‘CO2 neutral fuels’. Following consultation with stakeholders, at the latest by one year from the date of the entry into force of the amending Regulation, the Commission should develop a methodology for registering heavy-duty vehicles running exclusively on CO2 neutral fuels for compliance purposes in conformity with Union law and with the Union’s climate-neutrality objective.
Assessment and reporting
The Commission should, not later than 31 December 2027, review the effectiveness and impact of this Regulation and submit a report assessing in particular:
- the number of registrations of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles in Member States;
- the progress made in deployment of charging and refuelling infrastructure suitable for heavy-duty vehicles in Member States;
- considerations of heavy-duty vehicles and vehicle combinations taking into account weights and dimensions applicable to national transport, for example modular and intermodal concepts, while also assessing possible transport safety and efficiency aspects, intermodal, environmental, infrastructural and rebound effects as well as the geographical situation of Member States;
- impacts on employment, especially on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the effectiveness of measures to support retraining and upskilling of the workforce, and the importance of an economically viable and socially fair transition towards zero-emission road mobility;
- the impacts of establishing minimum energy efficiency thresholds for new zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles placed on the Union market;
- the impacts of ensuring that special purpose, off-road and off-road special vehicles are subject to CO2 emissions reduction targets.
The Commission should by 31 December 2026 publish a report assessing the possibility of developing a common Union methodology for the assessment, and the consistent data reporting, of the full lifecycle CO2 emissions of new heavy-duty vehicles that are placed on the Union market.