Bulgarian Environment Minister Neno Dimov called for the creation of a specific European fund to help finance the transition to clean mobility and, in particular, electromobility, on 26 June at the Environment Council in Luxembourg.
This would apply to countries that have little or no charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Such funding would make it possible, on the one hand, to create a network of charging stations and, on the other hand, to explore ways to help finance the purchase of electric vehicles by the population.
The Bulgarian Minister received the support of his colleagues from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and Lithuania – the five delegations that took the floor when presenting this suggestion made under ‘various items’.
The European Commissioner for the Environment, Karmenu Vella, said he was aware of the delay in some Member States, pointing out that only 500 electric or hybrid cars are currently on the road throughout Bulgaria. He was open to such a possibility, considering that it is in the EU's interest to consider possible additional financing measures to the aid already available to Member States under existing European funds.
Recent EU legislation adopted as part of the 3rd Clean Mobility Package for performance standards and CO2 emission reductions for passenger cars, new light commercial vehicles and, for the first time, new heavy-duty vehicles (trucks, buses), provides mechanisms to encourage manufacturers to place low-emission or zero-emission vehicles on the market after 2020 (see EUROPE 12274/28, 12223/3). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)