The Common Road Transport Office of FNTR (France), NLA (Nordic countries) and BGL (Germany) calls for more certainty for transport companies and regrets the absence of more technology neutrality and openness to other alternative fuels in reaction to yesterday’s vote in the European Parliament on CO2-targets for new heavy-duty vehicles. Moreover, the Common Road Transport Office underlines that enabling factors must be in place to make the switch to zero-emission vehicles and go forward with the green transition of the road freight sector in the coming years.
To this end, the Common Road transport Office urges the European Union to provide for a very close monitoring system to see the Member States’ strategy and their progress to implement the green transition, and for sufficient financial means to support the decarbonisation of the road freight sector in the next multiannual financial framework (MFF). Furthermore, customers will also have to be involved in this transition by bearing higher transport costs and helping to build optimised supply chains.
The emission targets are very ambitious starting with a CO2 reduction objective of 45% in 2030 for newly registered heavy-duty vehicles compared to 2019 and for trailers and semi-trailers of 7,5-10%. The Common Road Transport Office emphasises that today, there is only a very small number of zero-emission trucks on European roads. This is also due to the missing enabling conditions for the transport logistics sector to be able to carry out its actual tasks: urban, regional, and long-distance transport. It concerns notably capacity of the energy grid as well as the missing recharging and refueling infrastructure which must be in place to allow for the green transition of the road freight sector. Incentive schemes are essential for companies investing in zero emission trucks in a sector dominated by small and medium-sized companies operating in a very competitive market.
The Common Road Transport office welcomes the 2027-review clause to allow for adaptation of the goals if it appears to be necessary. The clause will also have a look at the role of the carbon correction factor (CCF), the role of a methodology for registering heavy-duty vehicles that run exclusively on CO2-neutral fuels and the possibility of developing a common Union methodology for the assessment of the full lifecycle CO2 emissions of new heavy-duty vehicles. Already in 2025, the Commission shall assess the role of sustainable renewable fuels in the transition to climate neutrality. The Common Road Transport will follow the monitoring process closely.
About FNTR is the leading association of road haulage in France with 5.000 member companies.
About BGL is the leading association of road haulage, logistics and disposal in Germany with 7.000 affiliated member companies.
About NLA is the joint Brussels representation of the leading road haulage associations in the Nordic countries representing around 15.000 member companies from DTL/Denmark), NLF/Norway, SÅ/Sweden in close cooperation with its associated member Finnish Transport and Logistics (SKAL).
