Brussels, 04/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - Only one third of member states are still in favour of binding national quotas for setting up clean fuel charging point infrastructure, despite the fact that the Transport Council intends to approve a decisive general approach on this subject on Thursday 5 December (see EUROPE 10974).
The Commission wants the EU28 to present quantified national plans for ensuring adequate charging infrastructure by 2020 for electricity, gas and hydrogen, in an effort to reassure investors and consumers and break dependence on oil. According to one source, it is possible that the Council will remove the binding elements from the proposal in the general approach. Another source close to the dossier also said that new market entrants were more in favour of indicative quotas for charging points. Germany and the United Kingdom oppose the Commission's too prescriptive approach. Nonetheless, according to this same source, around a third of member states still support binding targets: France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia. Portugal and Spain remain cautious on the subject but are not expected to mount any firm opposition to it. The Commission may still exert pressure and draw on support from this group of member states during the Transport Council to make sure this approach is maintained. Sticking to the timetable is crucial for the European Commission, despite the fact that it is almost certain that the member states will reject the 2020 deadline in favour of 2030. These two elements will form the essential basis of the negotiations that will then take place between the Council and Parliament. The latter supports the binding approach and respect for the 2020 deadline. (MD/transl.fl)