On Friday 27 June, the European Commission proposed extending the exemption for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles from road tolls and user charges until 30 June 2031. Its aim is to stimulate and support the competitiveness of sustainable road transport.
The exemption, which currently runs until 31 December 2025, is intended to encourage companies to invest in zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles. The initial cost of these vehicles is higher than that of their conventional counterparts, making them less attractive to buyers, which is one of the main obstacles to their wider deployment, according to the analysis published by the Commission on Thursday 19 June (see EUROPE 13663/17).
The proposed exemption period will be synchronised with the EU’s CO2 emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles, which target a 43% reduction in emissions by 2030.
“We need to create the right conditions to support European companies and reward early movers in the transition to a low-carbon economy”, commented European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apóstolos Tzitzikóstas.
Read the proposal: https://aeur.eu/f/hls (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)