Deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure

The Committee on Transport and Tourism adopted the report by Carlo FIDANZA (EPP, IT) on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure

The committee recommended that the position of the European Parliament adopted in first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission proposal as follows:

Objective: Members proposed to set out the objective of a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport by 2050, thereby contributing to the Union's long-term decarbonisation policy. They recommended that a Union strategy on alternative fuels should be implemented.

'Publicly accessible recharging or refuelling point' is defined as a recharging or refuelling point which provides non-discriminatory, easy, open and Union-wide interoperable access, by means of widely acceptable payment systems, to the users.

Strengthening national policy: Member States shall set national targets for the development of alternative fuels in the different transport modes (road, rail, water and air) and the deployment of the relevant infrastructure by 2020.

National policy frameworks must contain the following:

·        an annual report on developments on the alternative fuels market, and in particular on supply and demand;

·        policy measures to achieve the maximum possible sustainable mobility and the Union global target for the reduction of energy consumption in the transport sector;

·        targets for the reduction of urban congestion, increased mobility efficiency and the deployment of electrified public transport services;

·        national plans for the supply of green electricity to electric vehicles;

·        deployment and manufacturing support measures, with particular emphasis on the initial launch phase;

·        designation of priority ports, whether or not forming part of the TEN-T Core Network, to be equipped with LNG supply infrastructure;

·        a minimum number of railway and public transport stations, freight terminals and logistic centres to be equipped with recharging points for electric vehicles in technically suitable locations in their vicinity;

·        national policy frameworks must integrate the needs of each mode of transport, including those for which limited alternatives to fossil fuels are available.

Member States shall ensure that national policy frameworks integrate the needs of each mode of transport, including those for which limited alternatives to fossil fuels are available.

Electricity supply for transport: Member States shall ensure that at least the number of publicly accessible recharging points for electric vehicles referred to in the table in Annex II are put in place, paying particular attention to urban agglomerations and other densely-populated areas such as suburbs, and within adequate distances along the TEN-T Core Network.

The technical specifications must be observed by:

·        31 December 2015 for normal recharging points for electric vehicles;

·        31 December 2017 for fast recharging points.

The Directive should not prevent the development and introduction of other recharging technologies, such as wireless charging, on which international standardisation is currently in progress.

Member States may maintain additional safety requirements in force at national level, such as the charging sockets being fitted with safety shutters.

In line with European transport policy goals in support of multimodal transport, the deployment of electric vehicles should be integrated with railway and public transport infrastructure, as well as freight railway and logistic terminals infrastructure wherever possible.

Hydrogen supply for transport: Member States on the territory of which, on the date of entry into force of this Directive, hydrogen refuelling points already exist shall ensure that a sufficient number of publicly accessible refuelling points are available, with distances not exceeding 300 km, including one refuelling point per 250 000 inhabitants in urban areas, by 31 December 2020 at the latest. Isolated areas will be exempted.

Natural gas supply for transport: a sufficient number of inland ports of the TEN-T Core Network must be equipped with publicly accessible LNG refuelling points for inland waterway transport, within adequate distances, to allow the circulation of LNG vessels Union-wide by 31 December 2025 at the latest.

Members felt it important to set more ambitious goals with regard to CNG: they proposed that a sufficient number of publicly accessible refuelling points be available, with maximum distances of 100 km, including one refuelling point per 100 000 inhabitants in urban areas, to allow the circulation of CNG vehicles Union-wide by 31 December 2020 at the latest.

Lastly, they wanted to ensure that all LNG and CNG refuelling points for motor vehicles must provide gas at a quality complying with the standards developed by CEN.

Consumer information: with a view to increasing consumer awareness about the alternative fuels covered by this Directive, the Commission and relevant stakeholders should examine ways of providing consumers with information at the refuelling/recharging points allowing comparison of the price, energy content and climate effects linked to different fuels.