EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT EASES REQUIREMENTS FOR GREENING CORPORATE FLEETS

The European Parliament’s committees on the Environment (ENVI) and Transport (TRAN) have adopted their position on the draft Regulation concerning eco-friendly corporate vehicles. The position was supported by 89 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), while 29 voted against it.
The key takeaway for businesses is that European lawmakers have opted for a more flexible and realistic approach, moving away from strict mandates in favor of market-based incentives.
Key changes and compromises:
???? Indicative targets instead of rigid quotas: The mandatory national targets originally proposed by the European Commission have been replaced by indicative targets for 2030 and 2035. These will apply only to large companies and their new passenger cars and vans that produce zero or low emissions. Each EU member state will be free to choose the specific instruments best suited to its own market.
???? Trucks excluded for now: The committees have removed references to mandatory increases in the share of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) within corporate fleets as part of the upcoming revision of CO₂ standards. ???? Priority for infrastructure: The focus shifts toward developing charging infrastructure directly at enterprise sites, in depots, and along key commercial routes, as well as increasing the capacity of energy grids.
???? "Made in EU" protectionism: State financial support will be available only for corporate vehicles and vans that meet "Made in the EU" criteria (in accordance with the Industrial Accelerator Act).
???? Concessions for vans: In a separate vote, the ENVI Committee supported lowering the emissions reduction target for new vans from 2035 to 80% (compared to the 90% proposed by the European Commission and the 100% stipulated by current regulations). Additionally, vehicles running on renewable fuels have been permitted for inclusion in the "zero-emission" category (provided they achieve a greenhouse gas reduction of at least 65%).
The European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Customs Services (CLECAT) has already welcomed this decision. The logistics sector fully supports the exclusion of heavy-duty transport from the scope of the regulation at this stage, as well as the emphasis on developing charging capacity.
A plenary vote in the European Parliament is scheduled for December of this year to finalize the negotiating position. However, no consensus has yet been reached within the Council of the EU: a "blocking minority" has formed against targets extending beyond 2035, and a majority of member states are dissatisfied with the "Made in the EU" requirement. Therefore, reaching an agreement within the Council during Ireland’s current presidency is currently unlikely.
We are monitoring developments and will keep you updated!