Key points:
- The European Parliament’s environment committee backed an 80% CO₂ reduction target for new vans by 2035.
- Under current rules, new vans would have to be zero-emission by 2035, and the Commission proposed 90%.
- Binding fleet targets in the Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation would become non-binding objectives.
- Plenary votes are expected in December, followed by negotiations with EU countries.
- The IRU wants the same approach in the 2027 review of CO₂ rules for trucks.
80% instead of 100%
According to the international road transport union IRU, the votes took place on 4 November in the Parliament’s environment and transport committees.
For vans, the environment committee backed:
- an 80% CO₂ reduction target for 2035, compared with the Commission’s proposed 90% and the current 100%,
- flexibilities such as credits for low-carbon steel and five-year compliance periods,
- treating vehicles that run only on eligible renewable fuels as zero-emission, if they achieve at least a 65% greenhouse gas saving.
In practice, this would mean that combustion engine vans could still be sold after 2035, as long as manufacturers meet the lower average target.
No binding targets for company fleets
MEPs also voted on the Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation, which would oblige large companies to buy a certain share of zero-emission vehicles. According to the IRU, the committees want to:
- replace binding fleet purchasing targets for 2030 and 2035 with aspirational objectives,
- give member states more flexibility through national plans,
- keep heavy-duty vehicles outside the scope of the regulation,
- remove the reference to possible 2027 purchasing targets for trucks, buses and coaches.
They also recognised the need for charging and refuelling infrastructure at company sites, depots and on commercial routes.
“Decarbonisation policies must reflect market realities and the operational needs of transport businesses,” said Raluca Marian, IRU general delegate to the EU. “The Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation, as proposed, is not the way forward.”
Not final yet
The committee votes are not the end of the legislative process. Plenary votes in the European Parliament are expected in December. After that, Parliament will negotiate the final text with EU member states in the Council.
Trucks are next
The debate is also important for heavy road transport. In 2027, the EU plans to review CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles, which require manufacturers to cut emissions from new trucks by 45% by 2030.
The IRU wants the same approach to apply. According to Marian, “climate objectives must reflect the actual conditions under which transport operators can invest”, including vehicle costs, charging infrastructure, energy supply and the economic situation of transport companies.
For fleet operators, the votes signal that Brussels may be willing to slow down the shift to zero-emission vehicles. Electric truck sales in the UK, for example, have fallen sharply this year.
