Today, the European Parliament made a decisive move by approving the provisional agreement reached with the EU Council on the revised regulations aimed at curbing CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. This landmark decision arrives at a critical juncture, as CO2 emissions from trucks have surged by 25% since 1990, constituting over a quarter of total road transport emissions.
During the negotiations, the S&D Group played a pivotal role in expanding the scope of the agreement. Vocational vehicles such as garbage trucks, tippers, and concrete mixers were successfully included, in addition to urban buses, coaches, trailers, and other types of lorries initially covered in the European Commission’s proposal. Furthermore, the S&Ds managed to uphold an ambitious target of reducing emissions by 90% for heavy-duty vehicles by 2040.
Christel Schaldemose, the S&D negotiator on the file in the European Parliament's environment committee, said:
"In confronting the challenges presented by climate change, bold and decisive actions are imperative. The European Parliament's endorsement of an expanded scope, encompassing vocational vehicles and smaller lorries, alongside an ambitious emission reduction target for 2040, signifies a significant milestone in our collective efforts to combat climate change.
“This revision sends a clear message to the European truck industry: Investments in fossil fuel technologies of the past are destined to become stranded assets. Conversely, investing in decarbonisation is not only imperative for our climate but also essential for our industrial competitiveness.”
