Strasbourg, 10/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - On 8-9 February in San Sebastián, Miguel Sebastián Gascón, the Spanish minister for industry, presided over the work of the informal Competitiveness Council. On Tuesday, he proposed that his counterparts implement a common strategy for developing electric vehicles. The day before, the initiative had received support from research ministers meeting under the leadership of Cristina Garmendia. France is supported by Germany, Spain and Italy and is confident that 10% of all European vehicles will be electric by 2020. The European Commission is being called on to put a proposal in this connection on the table by spring, in view of holding a discussion on the subject at the May Competitiveness Council.
At the end of January, Sebastián Gascón informed the European Parliament that Spain was determined to give electric vehicles a central role during its presidency. In an interview published on the Spanish Presidency site, he explained that “from our point of view, the leadership for introducing electric vehicles is incumbent on the institutions of the EU … We hope that our perception will be shared by the rest of the member states and Community institutions and that the European Commission will take over the reins by adopting a common strategy to be debated at the Council of ministers in May”. The Spanish minister for industry therefore presented his counterparts on Tuesday with a document detailing the main challenges posed by widespread expansion of electric vehicles. Although electric vehicles are presented by governments and business leaders as an opportunity for stimulating economic recovery, as well as responding to ecological needs in the face of climate change, EU member states are currently failing to work together in competition against their rivals. While Australia, China, the US, Israel and Japan are massively investing in electric mobility, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, Poland, Portugal and the United Kingdom have developed electric vehicle programmes that all vary considerably, notes the Presidency report, which highlights the need to promote the necessary technologies and infrastructure in this connection. Spain considers that this requirement means that the Commission should define a global and common European strategy for these vehicles and set up a structure that includes stakeholders in an effort to coordinate policies, and ensure uniformity and coherency between the different initiatives in Europe. This initiative involves technological development and harmonisation of standards for batteries and recharge networks. Large-scale expansion of electric vehicles also poses problems of high costs, the impact of consumption and the EU's electricity production capacity, as well as posing questions involving the lack of competencies and difficulties of raising financial resources. The report also highlights the question of energy and environmental performances by way of reducing CO2 emissions from cars and fuel, as well is through the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Overall, Spain hopes to develop a “joint and comprehensive” approach at a Community level, which it regards as essential if the EU is to obtain a competitive edge in this sector. In an effort to promote its proposal, the Presidency has called on representatives from firms in the electricity sector (Iberdrola), car sector (Renault) and industrial sector (Siemens) to take part in a first exchange of views at ministerial level.
Spain is counting on the support of Germany, France and Italy. On Tuesday, the French minister for industry, Christian Estrosi, appealed for a European policy for developing and manufacturing electric vehicles. According to the minister, 10% of all vehicles in Europe could be electric by 2020, given the support demonstrated by several member states. This will only be achieved if the European Commission takes swift action to put a strategy on the table on the basis of the work prepared by the Presidency. In a press release published at the end of the discussions, Estrosi highlighted the need for a rapid response to the question of developing norms and standards for batteries, recharging systems and safety. Germany and France have already examined this dossier and in 2009 set up a joint workgroup to push forward in the area of standardisation. Italy and the Netherlands appear willing to join this group. The Germans and French took another step forward last week during the Franco-German summit, where Estrosi and his counterpart, Rainer Brüderle, demonstrated their support for launching a cross-border pilot project for electric mobility, based on an axis of different cities: Karlsruhe, Stuttgart and Strasbourg. The objective of this project would in this way be to develop as broad a consensus as possible and introduce standardised equipment in this area everywhere in Europe.
The San Sebastián meeting kicked-off the debate. The discussion will continue at the Competitiveness Council on 19 February. Spain and France both want the Commission to propose a common strategy on electric mobility to member states by the time of the Competitiveness Council in May. (E.H./transl.fl)