Commission sends wrong signal to truck manufacturers

This afternoon, the European Commission presented its proposal for a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions from new trucks placed on the market by 2040 and a series of intermediate targets for 2030 and 2035, with the aim of decarbonising the sector.

Yannick Jadot MEP, member of the Environment committee, comments: 

"The European Commission's proposal is bad news for all citizens, and it sends the wrong signal to manufacturers. With this proposal, the Commission is calling into question the objective of achieving carbon neutrality in 2050. By doing so they try to please the European right wing, which is trying, by all means, to hinder the effective implementation of the Green Deal.

“With this proposal, the European Commission is acknowledging the fact that trucks running on fossil fuels, especially diesel, can continue to drive on European roads after 2050. This is despite the fact that manufacturers are ready to commit to a more ambitious trajectory than the European Commission's proposal.

“The European Parliament has just endorsed the end of internal combustion engines for new cars by 2035. This is good for the climate, but also for industry. Trucks must not be allowed to escape the climate requirements. 

“The Commission also introduced  a target to ensure that 100% of new urban buses are zero-emission by 2030, but unfortunately this target comes with some limited exemption. There again, the lack of a clear signal to the market is deplorable. Moreover, it is regrettable that this decision is not accompanied by legislation to build a European clean bus industry.”