The European Commission welcomes the agreement between the European Parliament and Council on a provisional political agreement strengthening CO2 emissions standards for new heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) entering the EU market in 2030. The Regulation will set new ambitious CO2 emissions reduction targets for 2030, 2035 and 2040. The new standards will ensure that this segment of the road transport sector contributes to the shift to zero-emissions mobility and the EU’s 2030 climate ambitions and climate neutrality by 2050.
Ambitious targets and a wider scope
The agreement sets CO2 emissions reduction targets for HDVs of 45% for 2030-2034, 65% for 2035-2039, and 90% for 2040, compared to 2019 levels. The scope of the Regulation is expanded and these standards will apply to almost all trucks (including vocational vehicles, such as garbage lorries, tippers, or concrete mixers as of 2035), urban buses, long-distance buses, and trailers. Specific emissions reduction targets are also set for trailers (7.5%) and semi-trailers (10%), starting from 2030.
To accelerate the transition to zero-emission public transport across Europe, new urban buses must reduce emissions by 90% as of 2030. All new urban buses will have to be zero-emissions by 2035.
Under the provisional deal, the Commission will review the effectiveness and impact of the regulation by 2027. This review will cover the expansion of the scope to small lorries, a methodology for registering HDVs exclusively running on CO2-neutral fuels, in conformity with EU law and climate neutrality objectives, the role of a carbon correction factor in the transition towards zero-emission HDVs and a methodology for the determination of full lifecycle CO2 emissions of new heavy-duty vehicles.
The agreement sends another clear signal to manufacturers, transport operators, and users to steer investments toward innovative zero-emission technologies and boost the rollout of recharging and refueling infrastructure.
Next steps
The European Parliament and Council need to formally approve the agreement. Once this process is completed, the new legislation will be published in the Official Journal of the Union and enter into force.
