The European Union (EU) has reached a draft agreement on the regulation of carbon emissions from trucks. By 2030, new vehicles’ greenhouse gas emissions must be 30 percent lower than 2019 levels.
The agreement, reached on 18 February, will be the first time that a strict limit on carbon emissions will be imposed on trucks by the EU, and it follows a similar deal achieved in December setting emission standards for cars and light vans.
The next step for the regulation is for ratification by the European Parliament and then the European Council, which is composed of member states’ ministers. Following approval by these two bodies, the regulation (which is expected within the next few months) will be published in the Official Journal of the Union and will be enforceable from that time.
The EU is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent of 1990 levels by 2030 from all industry. The truck provision completes the EU’s legislative framework for meeting this reduction target, said an EU statement.
Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, said, “The European Parliament and Council have reached an ambitious and balanced agreement. The new targets and incentives will help tackle emissions, as well as bring fuel savings to transport operators and cleaner air for all Europeans. For the EU industry, this is an opportunity to embrace innovation towards zero-emission mobility and further strengthen its global leadership in clean vehicles.”