IRU raise their voice against EU mandatory purchasing targets for zero-emission trucks

IRU, the world road transport organisation, has called on EU Member States to firmly reject the European Parliament’s proposal to impose mandatory purchasing targets for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles on transport operators. The norm was included in a proposal released by the European Parliament as part of the revision of the CO₂ emission standards for HDVs, with the target to increase the share of zero-emission heavy-duty motor vehicles owned or leased by large fleet operators.

IRU Director Raluca Marian on EU mandatory purchasing targets

“Placing mandatory purchasing targets for zero-emission vehicles on private operators would be in opposition to basic rights guaranteed by the EU Charter”, stated IRU Director of EU Advocacy Raluca Marian. “The mandate to purchase zero-emission vehicles may not only violate the right to property and the right to conduct business, but it may also lead to market distortions since the Parliament’s version envisages that such restrictions on capital use will only apply to large operators. Both larger and smaller transport operators have razor-thin margins. The obligation to buy vehicles that are potentially not suited to their types of operations and are two to three times more expensive would unavoidably place some players at a competitive disadvantage.”

“The purchase of zero-emission vehicles should be supported by financial incentives for the uptake of new technologies and by creating the enabling conditions, including the infrastructure, to run such vehicles. Any proposal that forces transport operators to purchase certain types of vehicles should be firmly rejected as it would amount to a state-controlled economy,” concluded Raluca Marian.