Isabel García Muñoz MEP (S&D, Spanish) has proposed that “by 2032, cross-border operations of 44-tonne heavy-duty vehicles shall only be permitted by zero-emission vehicles”, in her draft report on maximum weights and dimensions of road vehicles, published on Friday 20 October.
Presented in July by the European Commission (see EUROPE 13220/21), this revised directive is part of a series of initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental impact of freight transport. It also aims to harmonise the rules between Member States and encourage the use of electric and hydrogen vehicles.
In her explanatory memorandum, the rapporteur said that her proposal would create a strong incentive for the market to adopt electric vehicles. “By that point in time, a solid network of publicly accessible alternative fuels infrastructure will have been deployed, enabling the seamless circulation of zero-emission HDVs across the Union”, she pointed out, in accordance with the ‘AFIR’ regulation on the deployment of alternative fuel infrastructure (see EUROPE 13240/12).
She also welcomed the harmonisation proposed by the Commission: “It is of the highest importance that the EU provides for a fair level playing field, for clear, harmonised, understandable and transparent rules [...]”.
Ms García Muñoz also suggested strengthening the governance framework applying to European modular systems, with an ex-ante assessment taking into account the impacts on road safety, road infrastructure, modal cooperation and the environment. She proposed as well that Member States establish qualification requirements for drivers of European modular systems, while ensuring proportionality, non-discrimination and mutual recognition between Member States.
To read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/990 (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)