European Union

Written by Gregor Erbach (1st edition),

© malp / Fotolia

In May 2018, the Commission proposed a regulation setting the first-ever CO2 emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles in the EU, as part of the third mobility package. It would require the average CO2 emissions from new trucks in 2025 to be 15 % lower than in 2019. For 2030, the proposal sets an indicative reduction target of at least 30 % compared to 2019. Special incentives are provided for zero- and low-emission vehicles. The proposed regulation applies to four categories of large trucks, which together account for 65 %-70 % of CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. The Commission proposes to review the legislation in 2022 in order to set a binding target for 2030, and to extend its application to smaller trucks, buses, coaches and trailers.

Heavy-duty vehicles are responsible for around a quarter of CO2 emissions from road transport in the EU. Without further action, their emissions are expected to grow due to increasing road transport volumes.

In the European Parliament, the proposal was referred to the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, where the rapporteur presented his draft report in July 2018.

Versions

• October 2018: ‘CO2 emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles‘ (1st edition)

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council setting CO2 emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles Committee responsible: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) COM(2018) 284
17.5.2018 Rapporteur: Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, the Netherlands) 2018/0143(COD) Shadow rapporteurs:

 

  Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden)
Damiano Zoffoli (S&D, Italy)
Nils Torvalds (ALDE, Finland)
Stefan Eck (GUE/NGL, Germany)
Joëlle Mélin (ENF, France) Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Next steps expected: Vote in ENVI committee

Businesses in Europe did not stand up to defend the system against the attacks of extreme parties and populist forces, says the president of Spain's Chamber of Commerce, José Luis Bonet.

The CSU and SPD have suffered major losses in Bavaria's state elections. The CSU won just 37.2 percent of the vote - losing more than ten percentage points. The SPD suffered similar losses, coming in fifth with just 9.7 percent. The Green Party came second of all the parties, seeing its share of the vote increase dramatically to 17.5 percent. Europe's commentators take stock of the results.

The hoped-for breakthrough in the Brexit negotiations failed to materialise in Brussels on the weekend. In particular a solution to the question of how to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland continued to elude the EU and UK negotiators ahead of the EU summit on Wednesday. How likely is a compromise?

A Turkish court has freed US pastor Andrew Brunson, who had been detained in Turkey for two years. The US imposed sanctions on Ankara over his over his house arrest - for alleged espionage and supporting the Kurdish Workers' Party PKK. What does Brunson's release mean for international relations and Turkey's economy?

Turkish investigators strongly suspect that missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi agents. Saudi Arabia has threatened with reprisals if economic sanctions are imposed on the Kingdom. But such sanctions are vital, commentators urge, and ask why the issue of punishing Saudi Arabia has only come up now.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is allowed to secede from the Patriarchate in Moscow. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople agreed on Thursday to recognise the independence of the Ukrainian Church requested by Kiev. Media in Eastern voice concern at the prospect of a schism.