On Monday 3 December, EU Transport Ministers will approve a progress report on the proposal to revise Directive 2009/33/EC to stimulate public procurement of clean vehicles.
This text echoes the European Commission's proposal from November 2017, as part of the third ‘mobility’ package (see EUROPE 11900, 11898). Just a few weeks ago, a political general approach seemed achievable for the Transport Council meeting on 3 December (see EUROPE 12126), but it is finally a straightforward progress report that has been put on the ministers' table.
In the meantime, two draft compromises have been presented by the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and discussed in the working party on transport - intermodal questions and networks.
Among the Vienna suggestions, it should be noted that consideration has been given to removing coaches from the scope of the Directive. However, this possible change is subject to divergent assessments by Member States.
The Austrian Presidency also states in the document attesting the results of the work on the subject that the definition of a clean vehicle and the implementation of the objectives remain outstanding issues to be addressed by the national delegations under the forthcoming Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Vienna's approach to the definition of a 'clean vehicle' was similar to that of the Commission, but the maximum exhaust emission threshold for several vehicle types (in grams of CO2/km) was increased in the draft compromises.
Similarly, the thresholds for clean buses to be acquired by the various Member States have been reduced in the draft texts, with half of these 'clean buses' then being 'zero emission' buses.
European Parliament. As a reminder, the MEPs meeting in plenary session validated their position on this text on 25 October last (see EUROPE 12126).
They adopted a slightly more complex approach to the definition of 'clean vehicles' and were more ambitious than the Commission was in view of the minimum thresholds for clean light-duty vehicles that public authorities should acquire in each Member State. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)