Emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles. Recast

The European Parliament adopted by 521 votes 63 with 34 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles as part of the Union's integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions from light-duty vehicles and amending Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 (recast).

The position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission proposal as follows:

Objective

The proposed regulation establishes CO2 emissions performance requirements for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles in order to contribute to achieving the Union's target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, and the objectives of the Paris Agreement and to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market.

Emission reduction targets

The amended text establishes an emission reduction target of 37.5% of the average of the 2021 specific emission targets for the entire European fleet of new cars and 31% for light commercial vehicles by 2030 with a benchmark of 15% by 2025.

From 1 January 2030, the following zero- and low-emission vehicles' benchmarks shall apply: (a) a benchmark equal to a 35 % share of the fleet of new passenger cars, and (b) a benchmark equal to a 30 % share of the fleet of new light commercial vehicles.

In the case of zero-emission vehicles of category N with a reference mass exceeding 2 610 kg or 2 840 kg, as the case may be, they shall, from 1 January 2025, be counted as light commercial vehicles falling within the scope of the Regulation if the excess reference mass is due only to the mass of the energy storage system.

Monitoring and reporting of average emissions

In order to assess the full life-cycle emissions from passenger cars and light commercial vehicles at Union level, the Commission should no later than 2023 evaluate the possibility of developing a common Union methodology for the assessment and the consistent data reporting of the full life-cycle CO2 emissions of such vehicles placed on the Union market. The Commission should adopt follow-up measures, including, where appropriate, legislative proposals.

Real-world CO2 emissions and fuel or energy consumption

The Commission shall monitor and assess the real-world representativeness of the CO2 emissions and fuel or energy consumption values. Furthermore, the Commission shall regularly collect data on the real-world CO2 emissions and fuel or energy consumption of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles using on-board fuel and/or energy consumption monitoring devices, starting with new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles registered in 2021.

Starting from 1 January 2021, the Commission shall ensure that the following parameters relating to real-world CO2 emissions and fuel or energy consumption of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles are made available at regular intervals to it, from manufacturers, national authorities or through direct data transfer from vehicles: (i) vehicle identification number; (ii) fuel and/or electric energy consumed; (iii) total distance travelled; (iv) for externally chargeable hybrid electric vehicles, the fuel and electric energy consumed and the distance travelled distributed over the different driving modes.

Vehicles in-service

The Commission will have powers to establish and implement a procedure for verifying the correspondence between the CO2 emissions of vehicles in-service, as determined in accordance with the WLTP procedure established in Regulation (EU) 2017/1151, and the CO2 emission values recorded in the certificates of conformity.

In developing that procedure, particular consideration should be given to identifying methods, including the use of data from on-board fuel and/or energy consumption monitoring devices, for detecting strategies through which a vehicle's CO2 performance is artificially improved in the type-approval test procedure.

Socially acceptable and fair transition

The amended text stresses the importance of taking into account the social effects of such a transition throughout the whole automotive value chain and to address proactively the implications on employment. Targeted programmes at Union, national and regional levels should be considered for the re-skilling, and redeployment of workers, as well as education and job-seeking initiatives in adversely affected regions, in close dialogue with the social partners and competent authorities.

Review and report

The Commission shall, in 2023, thoroughly review the effectiveness of the Regulation and submit a report to the European Parliament and to the Council with the result of the review. In the report, the Commission shall consider, inter alia:

- the real-world representativeness of the CO2 emission and fuel or energy consumption values;

- the deployment on the Union market of zero- and low-emission vehicles, in particular with respect to light commercial vehicles;

- the roll-out of recharging and refuelling infrastructure reported under Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council;

- the potential contribution of the use of synthetic and advanced alternative fuels produced with renewable energy to emissions reductions;

- the CO2 emissions reduction actually observed at the existing fleet level;

- the functioning of the incentive mechanism for zero- and low emission vehicles;

- the impact of the Regulation on consumers, particularly on those on low and medium incomes, as well as aspects to further facilitate an economically viable and socially fair transition towards clean, competitive and affordable mobility in the Union.

The Commission shall, in that report, also identify a clear pathway for further CO2 emissions reductions for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles beyond 2030 in order to significantly contribute to achieving the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement.

The report shall, where appropriate, be accompanied by a proposal for amending the Regulation.