Brussels, 04/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - Some sort of agreement appears to be in reach on alternative fuels at the EP's transport committee (TRAN). On Monday 4 November, committee members debated the amendments submitted to the report of Carlo Fidanza (EPP, Italy) on a draft directive for developing substitute fuel infrastructure, before the committee vote on 26 November.
The rapporteur believes that binding targets should be maintained on the number of recharging stations per country providing clean fuels, particularly those for electric vehicles. He admitted that “we need to remain realistic with regard to the current European Commission forecast and demonstrate flexibility by sticking to the general approach”. In this, he was supported by Gesine Meissner (ALDE, Germany) and Ismail Ertug (S&D, Germany). The Socialist Group is, however, divided and Olga Sehnalova (S&D, Czech Republic) put a priority on developing approaches rather than obligations. Speaking on behalf of the Conservatives, Jacqueline Foster (ECR, United Kingdom) underlined the subsidiarity principle, so that member states could decide on their own targets themselves. The rapporteur therefore regretted that certain amendments sought to remove everything but he was determined to “maintain specific targets that remained compulsory and would not become optional”. He also noted that his colleagues were concerned about the hydrogen question and that liquefied natural gas (LNG and LPG) created fewer problems. Several MEPs underlined the need to advocate technological neutrality particularly with regard to the recharging option selected. The Commission has expressed a preference for the “Type II”, German model. On this issue, Sehnalova stressed that “all the different kinds of sockets could be able to be used at the recharging points”.
There is also a consensus on the fact that energies should be green and not nuclear, said Ertug. Speaking on behalf of the Greens, Keith Taylor (United Kingdom) pointed out that substitute fuel infrastructure could not guarantee that the CO2 emissions targets would be attained and argued that emphasis a modal shift towards trains, cycling and walking, would be more effective. (MD/transl.fl)