Brussels, 10/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - In an own initiative report adopted by a very comfortable majority (37 votes in favour, 5 against, with 5 abstentions), the European Parliament Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN) reached an agreement on Tuesday 10 November for reducing the number of traditional cars by 50% by 2030 and to gradually exclude vehicles using “traditional fuels” from city centres by 2050.
In this report the goals appeared somewhat watered down compared to those included in the presentation of the initial version last May by Karima Delli MEP (Greens/EFA, France). She originally proposed banning diesel vehicles by 2020. The question of including diesel in the report immediately provoked a heated response from MEPs on the right (see EUROPE 11323), which has got worse since the Volkswagen scandal (see other article). Only Liberal MEPs from ALDE modified their positions after the scandal and therefore supported the Greens' position on the question.
This group's opposition to the inclusion of diesel in the report was once again visible on the day of the committee vote when Delli called for a vote on an oral amendment that would remove the tax breaks diesel enjoys in Europe. MEPs from the EPP, ECR and ENF opposed her on this question.
Therefore, in an effort to prevent any reference to diesel they expressed a preference for the generic term “traditional fuels”. This appears to suit everybody but it has the disadvantage of creating a number of uncertainties if there are new fuels for petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles that appear in the future, explained one European source.
In the report, MEPs also call for a significant part of the revenues generated from road tax, such as the Eurovignette and tollbooths, to be allocated to developing sustainable and connected urban transport. The EP committee also called for the promotion of alternative fuels, such as hydrogen and alternative modes of transport such as the bicycle and public transport, as well as respecting World Health Organisation (WHO) emissions thresholds, which are more restrictive than those in force in the EU.
MEPs are also suggesting that digital is looked at as a possible vector for sustainability in the transport field. The report also underlines the importance of intelligent transport systems (ITS). In an echo to the Volkswagen scandal, MEPs are calling on the European Commission to take effective measures to ensure that European standards on their quality and emissions are respected and that a precise timetable for this is worked out. One source of the EP rather sarcastically pointed out that, “so far, the member states have only agreed on a timetable for not respecting standards”. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)