Brussels, 28/07/2016 (Agence Europe). The post-2020 strategy for “low emission mobility”, which was proposed by the Commission on 20 July in the framework of its summer package on the climate, generally went down well, aside from the nascent row on the phasing-out of first-generation biofuels post-2020 (see EUROPE 11600, 11602, 11598). Although everybody sees the strategy as a necessary step forward to help to make the EU into a low-carbon economy over the period 2021-2030, the first responses of the industry and the Parliament call for the strategy to be improved and all forms of transport to make a contribution to, rather than just road transport, which the Commission has made its priority.
At the European Parliament, Michael Cramer (Greens/EFA), who chairs the committee on transport, welcomed the fact that a strategy had finally been proposed to decarbonise transport, “the only sector that has not reduced its greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 and so it should move immediately towards low-carbon forms of transport”.
He feels that the fact that the Commission is hoping to guarantee fair and effective pricing to achieve this objective is entirely appropriate, since “environmentally friendly rail transport is the only mode of transport currently subject to the taxes, charges and requirements of the emissions quota trading system (ETS)”. The MEP did, however, criticise the absence of binding targets for aviation and maritime transport, stating that it is vital to ensure that the “fastest-growing emitters in transport also contribute their fair share to climate protection”.
The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) welcomes the Commission's initiative and stresses that the “automotive industry is fully committed to continuing to reduce CO2 emissions in all sectors of the market, from private cars to heavy goods vehicles”, said Erik Jonnaert, Secretary General of the association, in a press release. However, he added that he felt that the strategy should tackle all modes of transport.
ACEA welcomes the fact that the principle of technological neutrality - which, it argues, is critical to support innovation and greater fuel efficiency - has been recognised by the Commission. “The communication rightly stresses that it will take a broader deployment of infrastructure for vehicles running on alternative fuels to allow market penetration by zero-emissions or low-emissions vehicles between now and 2030”, Jonnaert said.
Although the proposed strategy concerns mobility based on digital and communication technologies, pricing and energy sources, ACEA finds it regrettable that most of the binding measures proposed relate only to new vehicle technologies and do not lay sufficient emphasis on other important factors influencing emissions whilst the vehicle is being used, such as fuel, faster fleet renewal, improving infrastructure, changing driver behaviour and making full use of the potential of connected and automated vehicles.
Stressing the specific nature of the production cycle for heavy goods vehicles, which are often made to measure in response to specific requirements, ACEA argues that the policy to reduce CO2 emissions from heavy goods vehicles should differ from the one targeting private cars.
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) welcomes the broad range of measures proposed.
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to reducing freight carbon emissions - a whole package of operational and technical measures are required for the sector to make a contribution to climate change reduction targets. An effective framework for low emission alternative energy and an adequate roll-out of infrastructure for alternative fuels are key for us and can go a long way in helping the logistics sector reduce its carbon footprint”, said Pauline Bastidon of FTA.
However, she went on to lament the fact that the strategy does not lay enough emphasis on financial instruments to support the take-up of new technologies and to encourage changes to vehicle weights and dimensions. (Original in French by Aminata Niang)