EU Council Adopts Laws Aimed at Cutting Emissions from Transport, Vehicles, and Energy Consumption

The European Council has announced the adoption of a series of laws and regulations to achieve the EU's ambitious climate goals, including measures to reduce energy consumption, promote alternative fuels infrastructure, and curb emissions in the maritime transport sector. These actions represent significant steps towards realizing the European Commission's "Fit for 55" roadmap, which seeks to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

The Energy Efficiency Directive is a pivotal component of the EU's climate strategy. It aims to reduce final energy consumption by 11.7% across the EU by 2030, compared to 2030 forecasts made in 2020. Member states will collectively work towards achieving the 2030 goal, with binding limits set for final consumption and indicative targets for primary energy consumption. The directive also includes specific requirements for the public sector, except for public transport and the armed forces, to achieve an annual energy consumption reduction of 1.9%.

To enable the transition to zero-emission transport, the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) mandates a significant increase in electric vehicle recharging and hydrogen refueling stations along Europe's main transport networks. The law sets standards for publicly available charging infrastructure for cars and vans, with fast-charging stations to be installed every 60 km along the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) by 2025. Recharging stations dedicated to heavy-duty vehicles will also be deployed every 60 km on the TEN-T core network and every 100 km on the larger comprehensive network from 2025, achieving complete network coverage by 2030. Additionally, the AFIR law requires hydrogen refueling infrastructure to be available for cars and trucks every 200 km along the TEN-T core network by 2030.

Raquel Sánchez Jiménez, Spanish Minister of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda, expressed optimism about the AFIR law, stating that it will provide more public recharging capacity in cities and along motorways, allowing citizens to charge their electric vehicles as easily as they currently do in traditional petrol stations.

The Fuel EU Maritime law targets emissions reductions and the use of renewable and low carbon fuels in the maritime transport sector. It includes measures to gradually reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of fuels used in shipping, starting with a 2% reduction in 2025 and reaching up to 80% by 2050. The law also introduces a requirement for zero-emission at berth, mandating the use of on-shore power supply or other zero-emission technologies in ports for passenger ships and containerships.

Sánchez Jiménez highlighted the significance of the Fuel EU Maritime law in providing legal certainty for ship operators and fuel producers while promoting the large-scale production of sustainable maritime fuels, contributing substantially to climate targets at both European and global levels.

The adoption of these laws marks a crucial step towards the EU's commitment to combat climate change and underscores the region's dedication to creating a greener, more sustainable future. As these regulations come into force, they will require industries and stakeholders to make significant adjustments and investments to meet the ambitious targets set by the EU.