The stakes were high, as was the tension among MEPs but, at the end of the day, it was the ambition for the climate, innovation and clean mobility that triumphed in Strasbourg on Wednesday 3 October when the European Parliament gave its stance on last November’s proposal for a regulation aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from the European fleet of light vehicles after 2021 (see EUROPE 12108).
The Parliament voted (389 for, 239 against and 41 abstentions) in favour of the objective to reduce average CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030, not only for new private cars but also for new light commercial vehicles, with an intermediary target of 20% by 2025.
The 2030 objective is certainly not as bold as the 45% voted at the environment committee but is clearly more ambitious than the 30% proposed by the European Commission (with 15% in 2025 as an intermediary stage). With this compromise, the Strasbourg assembly rejected the amendments by the EPP and ECR Groups aimed at 35%, or 35% for cars and 30% for vans.
“The Parliament called for 20% by 2025 and 40% by 2030 – that was no mean feat and I am proud of the successful result achieved”, said the rapporteur, Miriam Dalli (S&D, Malta), after the vote.
“This ambition will encourage the motor industry to invest in cleaner cars. The European Parliament is united: we have been able to reject all the amendments that would have diluted our proposal and increased the grams per km for vehicles with zero or low emissions. I trust that the Council will also have an ambitious position to reach a positive result by the end of the year”. The EPP/ECR amendments were rejected in particular, often by a slim majority. They were aimed at including alternative fuels in the calculation of the emissions target, at encouraging double counting of biofuels or other alternative fuels already promoted by the “renewable energies” directive, or at encouraging plug-in hybrids which emit three times more on the road than in the laboratory.
Miriam Dalli was given a mandate by the Parliament to begin negotiations once the Council has finalised its position, on 9 October, during the Environment Council, as the Austrian presidency of the Council of the EU hopes (see EUROPE 12106).
For the remainder, the vote by the environment committee was almost identical to that previously cast. It provides for: - fines on makers who fail to abide by the objectives; - a 35% share of vehicles with zero or low emissions in sales, together with a bonus-malus system and respect of technological neutrality; - calculation of emissions throughout the vehicles’ life cycle and, by 2023, the introduction of testing in real driving conditions in order to avoid all cheating. The Commission is invited to present within two years on-road test projects using a portable device. In the meantime, emissions would be measured on the basis of data provided by the vehicle fuel consumption meters.
There was rejection of the amendment from the parliamentary committee advocating that an end should be put to the distinction between specialised makers and large car makers for emissions reduction.
The Parliament acknowledges that a socially acceptable and fair transition towards zero emission mobility requires changes throughout the motor sector chain of value, with potentially negative social consequences. This concerns around 12,000 jobs that could be lost in the sector by 2030 with an objective to reduce emissions by 40%. The EU should therefore promote skill development and reallocation of workers in the sector, particularly in regions and communities most affected by the transition, Parliament recommends. It also calls for support for the European battery manufacturing sector to “stimulate production in Europe, not in China”, Dalli stresses.
The Greens/EFA nonetheless hailed progress made despite having called for a 50%, if not 70%, reduction objective by 2030. “We cannot compromise the climate or the health of our fellow citizens, or the 12 million jobs already threatened by international competition. Clean mobility is not a threat – it is an opportunity for health and reconversion of the motor sector”, said Karima Delli of France, the shadow rapporteur, during the debate prior to voting. She went on to point out that transport generates over 20% of the EU’s CO2 emissions, and that 70% of these emissions come from road transport.
“It is not a question of protecting the climate at all cost. The question is: what will happen if we go too far again? What does it mean to be over ambitious for consumers and for job creation? The impact would be devastating”, retorted Jens Gieseke (EPP, Germany), fearing “the very costly fine system for vehicles with high emissions and the destruction of thousands of jobs”.
The ECR Group deems the objectives “unrealistic and irresponsible for jobs and the competitiveness of the European motor industry”. This was the view also taken by Boleslaw Piecha of Poland. Mark Demesmaeker (ECR, Belgium), on the other hand, called for “ambitious standards: at least 40% reduction and 40% green cars by 2030”, to help his country comply with the objectives subscribed to under the Paris Agreement.
Reiterating that transport is the only sector in which emissions are on the rise, Nils Torvalds (ALDE, Finland), shadow rapporteur, is pleased. He had estimated that ambitious objectives (those voted) were the only way to uphold the legislation on sharing the effort between member states in the sectors outside ETS. “If we fail, this will have an impact on agriculture or on the budget of member states”, he warned.
European motor industry is hard-pressed. “We remain particularly concerned about the extremely aggressive CO2 reduction targets and the imposition of sales quotas for electric vehicles”, warns ACEA Secretary General Erik Jonnaert, adding: “Today’s vote risks having a very negative impact on jobs across the automotive value chain”. In his view, this would force the industry to make radical changes in record time. He pointed out that recharging infrastructure is cruelly lacking and reiterated that there is “no guarantee that we have the right enabling framework in place to facilitate this sudden transition to electro-mobility”. He said that, in such conditions, “consumers cannot be forced to buy electric cars”.
NGOs are pleased. The NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), which is fighting for sustainable transport, also welcomed the vote which “will speed up the revolution for electric cars and create jobs in Europe”. It sees this as a “crucial stage towards cleaner air, less oil imports and more jobs”, while adding that the level of ambition still falls far short of what is needed to avoid catastrophic global warming. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)