Source: European Parliament
The Commission recognises that incentives can be useful in certain cases to support the transition to zero-emission vehicles.
However, the adoption of subsidy programmes and other incentives is a decision taken at Member State level. At EU level, the CO2 standards Regulation for heavy-duty vehicles sets the framework for the transition to zero-emission commercial vehicles, creating predictability for investors and manufacturers.
In the Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector[1] the Commission announced several initiatives to accelerate the uptake of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles.
These include a targeted amendment of the Eurovignette Directive[2], to extend the deadline to fully exempt zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles from road charges.
The Plan also stresses the importance of finalising interinstitutional negotiations on the revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive, to ensure payload parity between zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles and diesel vehicles.
The Commission also published a communication to decarbonise corporate fleets[3], which notably encourages national authorities to provide financial support and incentives for public transport authorities and operators switching to zero-emission buses.
This contributes to the preparation of a legislative proposal to decarbonise corporate fleets, expected by end 2025. As part of the work on corporate fleets, the Commission will also look into measures to accelerate the uptake of European zero-emission trucks.