EC sets out agenda for “safe, clean and connected mobility”
The European Commission is putting forward its final set of measures to make Europe’s transport system “safe, clean and connected”.
In a statement issued today (17 May), the EC said that the proposals from the Juncker Commission (named after EC President Jean-Claude Juncker) aim to “allow all Europeans to benefit from safer traffic, less polluting vehicles and more advanced technological solutions, while supporting the competitiveness of the EU industry”.
The initiatives include an integrated policy for the future of road safety with measures for vehicles and infrastructure safety; the first ever CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles; a strategic Action Plan for the development and manufacturing of batteries in Europe and a strategy on connected and automated mobility.
Commenting on the CO2 emissions standards, the EC said: “In 2025, average CO2 emissions from new trucks will have to be 15% lower than in 2019.
For 2030, an indicative reduction target of at least 30% compared to 2019 is proposed.
“These targets are consistent with the EU’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and will allow transport companies – mostly SMEs – to make significant savings thanks to lower fuel consumption (€25,000 over five years).
“To allow for further CO2 reductions, the Commission is making it easier to design more aerodynamic trucks and is improving labelling for tyres. In addition, the Commission is putting forward a comprehensive action plan for batteries that will help create a competitive and sustainable battery “ecosystem” in Europe.”
Meanwhile, the EC also claimed that its proposed strategy will help make Europe a world leader for fully automated and connected mobility systems. In addition, the Commission is proposing to establish a “fully digital environment for information exchange in freight transport”.
The European Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc said: “Over the past year, this Commission has put forward initiatives addressing the challenges of today and paving the way for the mobility of tomorrow. Today’s measures constitute a final and important push so that Europeans can benefit from safe, clean and smart transport. I am inviting the Member States and the Parliament to live up to our level of ambition.”
The Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Elżbieta Bieńkowska added: “90% of road accidents are due to human error. The new mandatory safety features we propose today will reduce the number of accidents and pave the way for a driverless future of connected and automated driving.”
In related news, the EC also announced today that it was “stepping up” its enforcement against member states who have breached agreedEU rules on air pollution limits and type approval for cars.
