The European Parliament’s environment committee has supported the European Commission’s ambitious plans to reduce emissions from heavy goods vehicles, pushing for stricter targets and an end to exemptions for certain truck types.
The European Parliament’s environment committee has given its support to the European Commission’s plans for significant reductions in heavy goods vehicle (HGV) emissions. The committee has also called for the elimination of exemptions for specific types of trucks from EU emission targets and for trailer manufacturers to achieve a 12.5% reduction in trailer emissions by 2030.
Although the United Kingdom is no longer part of the EU, these targets will continue to impact UK fleet operators since most trucks used in the UK are manufactured in Europe.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have endorsed targets to reduce the average emissions of new freight trucks by 45% by 2030 and 90% by 2040. Additionally, they have proposed a 70% reduction target for 2035, higher than the 65% target suggested by the Commission. Furthermore, MEPs have advocated extending these standards to cover the 20% of heavy-duty vehicle sales that the Commission has proposed to exempt, including garbage and construction trucks, as well as small trucks designed for urban deliveries.
MEPs have also called for a 12.5% improvement in the emissions performance of truck trailers by 2030, a slightly less stringent target compared to the Commission’s 15% proposal.
The environment committee aligns with the Commission and environment ministers in rejecting exemptions for trucks powered by e-fuels and biofuels. While biofuels are considered unsustainable, e-fuels are seen as a last resort, primarily required for sectors with limited options for decarbonization, such as aviation and shipping.
The European Parliament will make its final decision on the CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles during its plenary session in November.
