A videoconference on hydrogen refuelling and charging infrastructures for electric vehicles on Thursday 3 September brought together representatives of the European Commission and Member States as well as several European trade associations representing the industry sector.
The event, intended to open the “next chapter for electric road transport”, was organised by Berlin under the auspices of the German EU Council Presidency.
At the beginning of its mandate (see EUROPE 12510/19), the German Presidency had in fact committed itself to preparing the revision of the European directive (2014/94) on the deployment of an alternative fuels infrastructure.
In particular, German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer stated, at the end of the conference, that he would support the establishment of a common payment system for all Member States for electricity charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructures (see EUROPE 12552/28).
The participants also called for rules to be established to ensure price transparency and accessibility of these infrastructures throughout the EU, the German Presidency said in a statement.
A summary of the discussions as well as recommendations for the revision of Directive 2014/94 will be forwarded to the European Commission.
“A well developed cross-border charging network in Europe that guarantees simple and quick recharging is imperative”, Mr Scheuer concluded, recalling that the electrification of transport alone would prevent the emission of millions of tonnes of CO2.
German MEP Ismail Ertug (S&D), who had brought an own-initiative report to the European Parliament calling for a revision of Directive 2014/94 (see EUROPE 12102/11), also took part in the event.
Welcoming Berlin's willingness to focus on the rapid development of such an infrastructure in Europe, he stressed that this was “an important element of the European Green Deal, which we want to promote in the European Parliament”. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)