EU puts billion-tonne cap on emissions from buildings and road transport
EU puts billion-tonne cap on emissions from buildings and road transport
road transport
Germanyโs car industry is losing its famous Vorsprung โ and it canโt all be blamed on Trump and tariffs | Konstantin Richter
It was once the envy of the world โ but now its arrogance and failure to change or take risks lie at the root of its declineAbout 50 years ago, a man named Hans Bauer who worked in marketing for a German carmaker came up with the slogan Vorsprung durch…
Britons need greener travel options to meet net zero target
Government must take urgent steps to change UK travel behaviour if carbon dioxide reduction goals are to be metEurope-wide research has shown Britons are more willing than most Europeans to reduce their use of cars and aeroplanes โ an essential require…
Paris drivers warned of fines as city begins limiting traffic in parts of centre
Three-month โeducational phaseโ begins for scheme it is hoped will reduce through-traffic and improve air qualityParis authorities have begun limiting traffic in a large zone of the city centre, with police alerting drivers that they are now banned fro…
Europeโs commercial transport is shifting gears on green and digital challenges [Advocacy Lab Content]
Signposting the road ahead, the International Road Transport Union (IRU) is calling for an easing of access to the driver profession, improved working conditions and setting realistic decarbonisation targets.
TfL could be forced to pay millions over Dutch lorry driversโ low emission zone fines
Hauliersโ group Transport in Nood BV launched judicial review earlier this year over fines issued in Ulez and LezTransport for London (TfL) could be forced to pay back millions of pounds in low emission zone fines issued to Dutch lorry drivers after ag…
Future-proofing the EUโs road transport sector: a roadmap for policymaker action [Promoted content]
The EUโs road transport sector faces critical challenges. The IRU’s roadmap urges policymakers to enact supportive legislation to ensure the EU’s economic and environmental goals are met.
Slovak Environment Minister rejects EU directive on household fossil fuel charges
Slovakia has failed to include charges for emissions from heating and road transport in its latest amendment to its Emissions Trading Act, despite an EU directive requiring member states to do so by 25 September, with Environment Minister Tomรกลก Taraba …
Empowering the EUโs road transport industry
The EUโs road transport sector faces critical challenges. The IRU’s roadmap urges policymakers to enact supportive legislation to ensure the EU’s economic and environmental goals are met.
German Minister Wissing: Tariffs on Chinese cars โwrong approachโ
Putting up tariffs on Chinese electric cars to protect the European industry was the wrong approach, German liberal Transport Minister Volker Wissing told Euractiv in an interview, promoting international competition.
Germany accused of playing favourites with โฌ1.7 billion support for freight rail
The European Commission has given green light for a โฌ1.7 billion German subsidy scheme to support shorter freight trains in competition with road transport, which is expected to mainly benefit state-owned DB Cargo.
Bus plunges into river in central St Petersburg killing at least three
Russian officials say nine people were recovered from Moika after vehicle veered off bridgeA bus veered off a bridge in St Petersburg, Russia, killing at least three people and leaving six others injured on Friday, officials have said.The emergencies m…
Food importers in UK say new Brexit checks could add 60% to costs
Businesses say fees for Dover inspections are much higher than first thought and will push up shop pricesImporters of food from the EU into Britain have said newly introduced post-Brexit checks could increase their costs by up to 60%, pushing up prices…
EUโs 2050 net zero goals at risk as EV rollout faces setbacks
By Julia Payne BRUSSELS, April 22 (Reuters) – The EU needs to rethink its policies to make a 2035 ban on new petrol car sales feasible as electric vehicles (EVs) remain unaffordable and alternative fuel options are not credible, the EU’s external audit…
New UK climate minister voted against key Tory green plan
Justin Tomlinson rebelled against government plans for phasing out diesel cars just four months ago.
German transport minister stirs climate debate with threat of driving bans
A debate on abandoning sector-specific climate targets is heating up in Germany after Transport Minister Volker Wissing from the liberal FDP party warned that he might have to impose car bans on weekends unless the countryโs climate law is reformed.
Carbon pricing crucial to deliver on greening transport, Volvo boss says
The implementation of the EUโs carbon pricing scheme for road transport is crucial to drive the business case for electric and hydrogen trucks, Martin Lundstedt, CEO of the Volvo Group, told Euractiv in an interview.
EU transport ministers discuss โproblem childโ of green transition
As EU transport ministers gather for an informal meeting in Brussels on Wednesday (3 April), the sector remains the “problem child” of the bloc’s climate efforts and could account for 44% of all greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, according to latest pro…
Marcello Gandini, Lamborghini, Lancia and Alfa Romeo designer, dies aged 85
Designer was responsible for classic luxury sports cars such as Lamborghini Countach, Alfa Romeo Carabo and Lancia StratosMarcello Gandini, the Italian car designer who pioneered the use of โscissor doorsโ in luxury sports cars and drew the sleek outli…
Press release – Euro 7: Parliament adopts measures to reduce road transport emissions
On Wednesday, MEPs gave their green light to new EU rules to reduce emissions from passenger cars, vans, buses, trucks and trailers.Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Source : ยฉ European Union, 2024 – EP
Dutch cargo bike firm Babboe ordered to halt sales amid safety concerns
Regulator demands recall of two models, understood to affect about 10,000 of the popular productsDutch authorities have ordered a leading European manufacturer of cargo bikes to suspend sales and recall thousands of its products amid safety concerns ov…
Ulez fines scandal: Italian police โillegally accessedโ thousands of EU driversโ data
Italyโs data protection body is investigating claims โ denied by TfL โ that police shared names and addresses with firm collecting penalties from driversThe names and addresses of thousands of EU drivers were unlawfully accessed by Italian police and s…
Belgium postpones EU vote on truck emissions as Germany imperils majority
Belgium has postponed a vote by EU ambassadors on new emission standards for trucks โ initially planned for Wednesday (7 February) โ to Friday, after Germany withdrew its previous support for the law, leaving the majority unclear.
After Parisโs coup against SUVs, the UK should slam the brakes on these polluting monsters too | Andrew Simms
Parisians have voted to triple parking charges for these behemoths. Let that be the start of a much wider crackdown Paris has developed a taste for better city living. Its vote to begin pricing sports utility vehicles (SUVs) off its streets by tripling…
Heavy goods, autobahns and no borders: Europe is always on the move โ for now | Olivier Guez
Born next to a frontier, I criss-cross the continent all the time. Our borderless network is a privilege we canโt take for grantedIโm a French writer based nominally in Italy, but Europe is my homeland. My mobile-phone provider makes me pay dearly for …
โItโs unfathomableโ: speed hump saboteurs join Italyโs pro-car vandals
First cameras were torn down by someone calling themselves Fleximan โ now traffic calming measures are being targetedRenzo Bergamini, the mayor of Gualtieri, was on his way to buy the newspapers on Tuesday morning when he noticed something was amiss wi…
โIt was so worryingโ: EU motorist tells of ยฃ11,000 run-in with London Ulez rules
Driver was unaware he had to register French hire car with TfLโs collection agent even though it was emissions compliantThousands of EU citizens โwrongly fined for driving in London UlezโChristian Ducarre received three fines totalling nearly ยฃ11,000 a…
Tourists heading to Europe could face 14-hour queues at Dover from October
New EU entry-exit system could lead to gridlocked roads if scheme goes ahead as planned, MPs hearTourists heading to Europe could face waits of up to 14 hours at border controls under a scheme to be launched in October, MPs have been told.The Port of D…
Polish truckers suspend Ukraine border blockade
Polish truckers will suspend their longstanding blockade of the Ukrainian border following an agreement with the government, authorities said Tuesday (16 January), in a move that could resolve a source of friction between the allies.
Certification as a tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Biofuels are seen as a key means to decarbonise the transport sector, with growing quantities of green fuels set to be used in planes and ships, as well as road transport. In this special report, Euractiv examines the role of biofuel certification sche…
EU targets to suffer as consumers shun used electric vehicles
The majority of European drivers purchasing a used car are foregoing second-hand electric vehicles (EVs) in favour of their combustion engine equivalent, car dealers suggest – a development set to undermine the EU goal of cutting road transport emissions.
Poland reaches deal with farmers to call off blockade of Ukraine border crossing
The agreement meets farmersโ demands for financial compensation but doesnโt include restrictions on Ukrainian imports.
Polish farmers resume blockade of border crossing with Ukraine
They are rejoining hauliers who have been protesting for months; both groups fear the impact of opening markets to Ukraine.
Sadiq Khan backs sending 4x4s due for scrappage under Ulez to Ukraine
London mayor had claimed law stopped him allowing vehicles beneath emissions standards to be donated to war effortSadiq Khan has pledged to send 4x4s and other vehicles to Ukraine that would otherwise be scrapped under the Ulez scheme.The mayor of Lond…
โPeople are proud of this green spirit of oursโ: how a small Spanish city rejected cars
Decades ago, when many other European cities were building more road capacity, Vitoria-Gasteiz took a very different path They call it the anillo verde, the green ring, a 30km (19 mile) series of parks and cycle lanes that encircle Vitoria-Gasteiz, the…
Current policy routes put security supply at high riskย
The Russian war on Ukraine has exposed Europeโs vulnerability and we need a new energy security paradigm to maintain reliability and affordability while reducing emissions.
Press release – Euro 7: Deal on new EU rules to reduce road transport emissions
On Monday, Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on new rules to reduce road transport emissions for passenger cars, vans, buses, trucks and trailers.Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Source : ยฉ European Union…
How to navigate Belgiumโs EU presidency policy agenda like a pro
Time is running out to make progress on files before the 2024 European election.
Economic losses pile up in Ukraine as Polish truckers protest
Weeks of road blockades by Polish truckers protesting at the border will reduce Ukraine’s overall imports by about a fifth in November and could cost Kyiv one percentage point of GDP growth if they drag on, a Ukrainian official said.
EU hatches back-up plan to lessen impact of 10% Brexit tariff on EVs
Exclusive: โCushionโ for carmakers facing looming tariff under deal for vehicles traded between EU and UK from start of 2024The European Commission has hatched confidential Plan B proposals to โcushionโ the impact of a looming 10% tariff on imports and…
When is a car not a car? When itโs a Swedish A-traktor
Vehicles modified to not go above 19mph became a teenage rite of passage, but amid a rise in accidents, there are calls for a banIt began as an agricultural necessity and grew into a beloved rite of passage for teenagers in rural Sweden. Invented in th…
Decarbonizing heavy-duty canโt be only based on an early-stage technology
Growing evidence about potential raw materials shortages, insufficient EU battery production capacity, increased BEV repair costs, and large infrastructure and grid needs reinforce calls to vote for a technology-inclusive approach.
Press release – Euro 7: MEPs support new rules to cut down pollutant emissions
MEPs are ready to start talks with EU governments on new rules to reduce road transport emissions for passenger cars, vans, buses and trucks.Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Source : ยฉ European Union, 2023 – EP
Polish hauliers to block Ukraine border crossings in protest
Polish truckers will block several border crossings with Ukraine starting next week in protest at what they say is Ukrainian hauliers’ free rein in Poland that is hurting their business, a co-organiser of the protest told Reuters.
Threat of higher fuel prices resurrects Yellow Vest fears
A recent analysis suggests that the EUโs carbon market for road transport and buildings (ETS 2) may see prices rise far above the โฌ45 promised by the EU, provoking fears that protests against fuel price hikes will follow.
Four reasons the EU needs to rethink its approach to biofuels
Europeโs newly revised Renewable Energy Directive confirms the sustainability of biofuels such as renewable ethanol, but other EU legislation continues to ignore their strategic importance. Itโs time for a new approach.
Cleaner air: Mission (im)possible for cities
Cities are bracing to push through unpopular policies to meet tighter air pollution standards.
Italy to earmark โฌ12 billion for mega Sicily bridge project
Italy’s government said on Monday (16 October) it would set aside 12 billion euros to build a giant bridge to connect Sicily to the mainland, as itย revives a projectย that appeared to have been killed off ten years ago.
Press release – Euro 7: MEPs back new rules to reduce road transport emissions
The Environment Committee adopted its proposals to lower pollutant emissions and set battery durability requirements for passenger cars, vans, buses and trucks.Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Source : ยฉ European Union, 2023 …
Desperate foreign truckers stage hunger strike in Germany
Foreign truck drivers who transport goods around Europe have staged a hunger strike in Germany as part of a weeks-long work stoppage, describing it as their “last hope” to draw attention to the exploitation they say they suffer.
EU Council adopts watered-down Euro 7 position despite German objections
EU countries officially agreed their position on draft vehicle pollution standards, known as Euro 7, on Monday (25 September), significantly toning down the Commissionโs original proposal in an apparent bid to ensure Europeโs automotive competitiveness…
Green NGO supports controversial CCS to ensure e-fuels reach CO2 neutrality
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) can be deployed in limited cases to ensure e-fuels reach full climate neutrality, green group Transport & Environment has told Euractiv, responding to claims by e-fuel producers that 100% emissions reductions are no…
European governments shrinking railways in favour of road-building, report finds
Rail networks in most countries have been starved of funding while motorways lengthen, study showsEuropean governments have โsystematicallyโ shrunk their railways and starved them of funding while pouring money into expanding their road network, a repo…
Rishi Sunak says he told China actions to undermine British democracy are โcompletely unacceptableโ
Prime minister says he told Li Qiang, the Chinese prime minister, at G20 that Chinese interference with the work of parliament will โnever be toleratedโSimon Clarke, who was the levelling up secretary during the Liz Truss premiership, has defended the …
Germanyโs gambit to tout e-fuels falls flat
German Transport Minister Volker Wissing didn’t get much international backing for his green fuel declaration.
Will the promise of CO2-neutral e-fuels hold?
German transport minister Volker Wissing argued that e-fuels should be permitted as a climate neutral alternative to electric mobility for road transport. But whether e-fuels are truly climate neutral is a matter of controversy.
Rented e-scooters cleared from Paris streets on eve of ban
Electric scooter rental experiment in French capital ends after 5 years of controversyParis will become the first European capital to ban rented electric scooters on Friday, as the city hall vowed to โcalm downโ the streets.Five years after Paris becam…
Drug-resistant killer bugs linked to air pollution, top scientists say
Study findings have ‘substantial policy and environmental implications,’ researchers say. But other academics aren’t so sure.
Paris to charge SUV drivers higher parking fees to tackle โauto-besityโ
Size, weight and motor will be taken into account as councillors target โdangerous, cumbersomeโ vehiclesParis city hall is to impose higher parking fees on owners of SUVs in its battle to reduce pollution in the capital.Details of the charges have not …
โTheyโre sticking the finger up at carsโ: Amsterdam split by low-traffic roads
The Dutch cityโs โsocial experimentโ with closing off busy highways is testing the tolerance of drivers and cyclistsIn the middle of one of the busiest highways in Amsterdam is a new attraction: marked proudly on the map is the Weesperknip (โWeesper cu…
EU auditors highlight need for more than one solution to road transport emissions [Promoted content]
A new European Court of Auditors report shows the risks of relying only on electric vehicles for the future of road transport. As EU Biofuels Chain members write, Europe needs to be more open to a range of technologies.
Road transport emissions rising in car-friendly Slovakia
The rise in cars on the road and increased freight transportation have offset any positive impact in a country that is fighting stricter emission norms as greenhouse gas emissions have tripled since the 1990s, according to new data from the…