Parliament backs new rules to reduce air pollution from trucks and buses

Improving EU air quality, in line with Green Deal and REPowerEU goals

Zero-emission urban buses by 2030

Heavy-duty vehicles account for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions from EU road transport

MEPs are ready to start talks with EU countries on new measures to strengthen CO2 emission reduction targets for new heavy-duty vehicles, which include buses, trucks and trailers.

On Tuesday, Parliament adopted its negotiating position with 445 votes in favour, 152 against and 30 abstentions.

MEPs want strong CO2 emissions reduction targets for medium and heavy trucks, including vocational vehicles (such as garbage trucks, tippers or concrete mixers) and buses. The targets would be 45% for the period 2030-2034, 65% for 2035-2039 and 90% as of 2040.

They agree with the Commission proposal to allow the register only of zero-emission new urban buses from 2030 and they propose a temporary exemption (until 2035) for urban buses fuelled by biomethane, under strict conditions.

Quote

Rapporteur Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, NL) said: “The transition towards zero-emission trucks and buses is not only key to meeting our climate targets, but also a crucial driver for cleaner air in our cities. We are providing clarity for one of the major manufacturing industries in Europe and a clear incentive to invest in electrification and hydrogen. We are building on the Commission’s proposal by expanding the scope and adapting several targets and benchmarks to catch up with reality, as the transition is moving faster than expected.""

Press conference

Rapporteur Bas Eickhout will brief journalists after the vote on Tuesday, 21 November, at 13.30 CET, in the Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room (WEISS N -1/201) in Strasbourg). You can watch the livestreaming and a recording of press conference on Parliament’s website.

Next steps

Parliament is now ready to start talks with EU governments on the final shape of the legislation.

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 for climate neutrality 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.

In adopting this report, Parliament is responding to citizens' expectations to tackle pollution and to promote the purchase of electric vehicles and investments in the development of other non-polluting technologies, as expressed in proposals 2(2) and 4(3) of the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe.