As part of the third package on clean mobility, the European Commission could, when it brings forward its proposals on Thursday 17 May, suggest imposing a binding target on the European heavy goods fleet of a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions and a 30% reduction by 2030, compared with 2019, with a review clause in 2022 to take account of technological advances.
If this leaked information is confirmed, it will be well below what is hoped for by a coalition of transport companies and major manufacturers and some countries (Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Netherlands), which, with the full support of Transport & Environment (T&E), an NGO which campaigns for sustainable transport (see EUROPE 12016), are calling for a 24% reduction by 2025 compared with 2015.
The Commission is also thought to be about to propose incentives to encourage manufacturers to produce low-emission, and even zero emission, lorries.
This approach mirrors the one on emissions standards for new private cars and vans, proposed in November 2017 as part of the second clean mobility package (see EUROPE 11900). It would be much to the regret of the ACEA, which argues for a -16% target between 2019 and 2030, with an intermediate target of -7% by 2025 and contends that the specific nature of lorries, which are made-to-measure products designed to fulfil a specific function, demands a different approach (see EUROPE 12013). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)