MEPs debate and vote on on strengthening requirements for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), such as buses, trucks and trailers, to reduce their CO2 emissions. They propose that the targets should be set at 45% for the period 2030-2034, 70% for 2035-2039 (compared to 65% proposed by the Commission) and 90% as of 2040. They also agree that newly registered urban buses should be zero-emission vehicles from 2030. Background: On 14 February 2023, the Commission tabled a legislative proposal to set CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles from 2030 onwards to help reach the EU’s objective to be climate neutral by 2050 and lower the demand for imported fossil fuels. Heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, city buses and long-distance buses, are responsible for more than 25% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from road transport in the EU and account for over 6% of total EU GHG emissions. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EICKHOUT, Bas (Greens/EFA, NL)

emissions of vehicles (T)

effort sharing regulation (T)

industrial emissions (T)

Fit for 55 (T)

Wopke HOEKSTRA (NL)

Strengthening the CO2 emission performance targets for new heavy-duty vehicles: opening statements by Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, Miapetra KUMPULA-NATRI (S&D, FI), Andris AMERIKS (S&D, LV) and Wopke HOEKSTRA, EC for Climate Action

SOUNDBITE (English), Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, Thank you Mr. Chairman. And thank you, colleagues. That was an interesting debate on pesticides. We now shift to heavy duty vehicles, trucks and buses. And also there we have some delegate issues on the table where hopefully we can stick to the facts. That would also be very nice in the debates we're going to have.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, First of all, on CO2 standards for trucks and buses. I think it's very important to realise that trucks are responsible for 25% of the greenhouse gas emissions of road transport. So this shows how big the impact of our trucks are. And this is of course a very crucial sector that we need to decarbonise towards 2050 in order to achieve our climate neutrality as a European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, For that, we have put CO2 standards on the table before and we do see improvements. But we need to accelerate. We need to accelerate to make sure that we can be reaching climate neutrality by 2050. To be very honest, I was critical on the Commission's proposal and to be very honest, I'm still doubtful that with these numbers we will get to climate neutrality by 2050 in the trucks, which is one of the still easier sectors to abate then when we are talking about shipping, aviation, etc..

SOUNDBITE (English), Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, But we have accepted these targets and we will push for them in order to make sure that this decarbonisation will happen. And probably we could see some acceleration even of decarbonisation going beyond the targets that we have been putting on the table. So what is now on the table is a reduction of 45% by 2030, 70% by 2035 and 90% by 2040.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, And that is also very important. We are talking about 90% by 2040, because in a lot of your contributions, we will probably start talking about carbon neutral fuels again, e-fuels, etc. They can all be part of the mix. When we were having a discussion about a 100% reduction target for the cars. Of course there was a debate on it, but in this case we have a 90% reduction target.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, This allows for manufacturers to choose different technologies to deliver and even if they can be 100% zero, they can still comply because the target is 90% by 2040. So that is very important to do realise that, to be very honest, the e-fuels debate should not take place in this file. I know some are so attached to it that they want to even have that debate in this file. And I always wonder that those people talking about technology neutrality can only talk about e-fuels so much for their technology neutrality.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, What we have done further in our report is expanding the scope also to vocational vehicles, but with an exception for fire trucks and other vehicles that are used for civil protection. So we are mainly talking about garbage trucks, which of course can certainly decarbonise. We are also having a target of zero emissions for city buses for 2030.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, Also there with a very clear exemption until 2035 for those local governments who already invested in alternatives, because we do appreciate those activities. And of course, we do not want to cut that off by 2030. So I think all in all, a very balanced report with an ambition that is very close to the commission with consideration of an expanding of the scope, also with good definitions of carbon neutrality and carbon neutral fuels.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, And for those who are saying that we still need something on the carbon correction factor because of carbon neutral fuels. Read the letters being sent to us by Daimler, Volvo, Scania who are all saying "Don't do this. You are putting the burden on us. You are de facto slowing down the decarbonisation of this sector", and that's what you're trying to do. If you want to discussing e fuels, please do so. But not in this file. Do not pollute that debate and let us make sure that we have a very clear report as a parliament. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, Thank you. Mr. President, honourable members. Things actually do get interesting when a climate debate becomes concrete and trucks and buses and the need to make them zero emission, that is actually very tangible for our citizens. And of course, at the same time, we're discussing this challenge in a climate emergency and that ask for responsibility in all of our choices.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, Climate change is unfortunately happening much faster than we feared, and it is causing damage all across Europe. And by the way, also all across all the corners of the world. And we have a new sad record with 2023as the warmest year on record as was the same, by the way, for 2022. And of course, we discuss climate falls like this one with the binding goals of our European climate law in mind.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, We all know the targets. We must cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, and we need to reach climate neutrality by 2050. And I'm going to say it again. It is this parliament that has championed these targets for all the right reasons. To reach those targets, the rapporteur just said it's all sectors must do their share and transport is not and cannot be an exception. In fact, transport requires special attention because it is responsible for almost one quarter, almost one quarter of European CO2 emissions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, And interestingly enough, for a long time it was the only sector where emissions were rising. So we must move to zero emission transport on our highways and in our cities. There simply is no other way forward. But I would also like to highlight the other side of the coin the opportunity that the shift to zero emission transport actually brings.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, European truck makers and bus makers can be global leaders if we set the right framework for them to invest in what I think are the technologies of the future in a competition for electric mobility with China, for example, stagnation is not and cannot be the answer. The ramp up of key technologies.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, Technology in Europe is so ramping up the supply of European electric trucks and buses cuts our dependence on fossil fuels from volatile countries. Climate policy is, you could say, security policy, and zero emission mobility can be affordable mobility. If more zero emission trucks and bus models come to the market, then simply the prices will go down.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, And in order to reap these opportunities, we must give European industry the one thing that it wants from us as politicians. And that is clarity because that means investment certainty and it means stability. If companies then embark on the clean mobility journey, they need a bolt on the horizon to the journey towards. And I'm glad that the EPP report confirms the ambition of the Commission on many issues.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, But I do like to address one specific issue that has become part of this debate. I very much understand the desire and it is a desire across this House to find a way to move to zero emission transport and we do it in a way that is workable for our companies and our citizens. And that is also what I want to do, because we have to take our people and our businesses along.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, And I do want to help in finding out if finding a way and yet in all openness, I don't think that to include a so-called carbon correction factor in our rules is the right way forward, then it would be to give drug makers a compliance bonus for making new trucks if Member States assure the supply or, for example, fuels. And again, of course I fully see the importance of innovative fuels, but we need them for the existing fleet before customers can switch to new zero emission vehicles under this law.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, And mostly we need them for hard to abate sectors like maritime and aviation. That is where we need these type of fuels. And I doubt that a carbon correction factor for new trucks gets us broad support for zero emission transport. And it was said before, maybe with even more passion than I'm doing it, that virtually all truck makers and all truck makers I've been talking to say that they do not favour this approach. They would face penalties if Member States fall behind in existing renewable energy targets and fuels, and there is no incentive to overachieve on those targets.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, And generally we should be careful not to create artificial markets for new fuels in road transport. Ladies and gentlemen, our proposal is enough for all likely fuel developments. The Commission can reflect on market developments in a spirit of technological openness. We can do this in a review of this law in 2027, and I hope that members of Parliament can take this into account in their votes later today.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, Mr. President, Ladies and gentlemen, this shift to zero emission trucks goes at the heart of the industrial transformation that we have ahead of us. Zero emission buses change the daily lives of citizens taking public transport in cities, but of course, also in the countryside it generates passions. That's normal.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wopke HOEKSTRA, European Commissioner for Climate Action, So, let's have a proper debate on all the various aspects going forward. And finally, let me once again thank the Rapporteur, his team, for always good and hard work. Thank you very much.