CO2 emission class of heavy-duty vehicles with trailers

The Committee on Transport and Tourism adopted a report by Matteo RICCI (S&D, IT) on the amended proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 1999/62/EC, Council Directive 1999/37/EC and Directive (EU) 2019/520 as regards the CO2 emission class of heavy-duty vehicles with trailers and clarifying and simplifying certain provisions.

The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows:

Definitions

To guarantee legal certainty, consistency in classification, and the proper application of the charging framework, the report includes a definition of ‘light-duty vehicle’ to mean a vehicle with a technically permissible maximum laden mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes and alternatively‑fuelled vehicles of category M1 with a maximum mass not exceeding 4.25 tonnes.

Charges

Member States, taking into account the VECTO methodology, will ensure that the application of the CO2-based classification and differentiation of charges for heavy-duty vehicles takes into account the actual use of vehicle combinations in logistic systems.

To this end, particular attention should be paid to: (i) the proportion of empty journeys and the loading rate; (ii) the multi-use of vehicles and trailers; (iii) the loading efficiency of the trailer and specific use like side-opening trailers used for military or commercial use; (iv) the impact on the efficiency and resilience of the transport system; (v) life-cycle emissions.

Moreover, Member States may provide for reduced rates of infrastructure or user charges, or exemptions to pay infrastructure or user charges for zero emission vehicles of any vehicle group from 24 March 2022 until 30 June 2031. Within this period, Member States may apply a reduced rate of infrastructure or user charge for low-emission vehicles up to 75%, should a higher exemption to pay infrastructure or user charges for zero emission vehicles be in place. From 1 July 2031, such reductions for zero-emission vehicles will be limited to 75 % compared to the charge applicable to CO2 emission class 1, and for low emission vehicles they will be limited to up to 50% compared to the charge applicable to CO2 emission class 1.

Member States will consider as eligible for classification in a CO2 emission class all vehicles for which the road user can provide evidence of the CO2 emissions in a customer information file, based on their verified CO2 emissions performance, applied in a technologically neutral manner.

For the purposes of verification and enforcement, Member States will ensure that the CO2 emission class included in the customer information file is made available in an accessible format, including as a physical printout, QR code, mobile certificate or, where available, via Union systems, and may be integrated into the vehicle registration document.

Member States will mutually recognise the CO₂ emission class of a motor vehicle and of a trailer as determined by the Member State in which that vehicle or trailer is registered. To this end, the CO₂ emission class contained in the certificate of conformity or the vehicle registration certificate will be made available via an interoperable electronic exchange system, such as MOVE-HUB, as part of the vehicle registration data.

Lastly, Member States may provide for a reduction of up to 10 % of the infrastructure charge or user charge applicable to a given vehicle in accordance with its CO₂ emission class, for vehicles equipped with an electrified transport refrigeration unit.