Denmark and eight EU Member States are calling on the European Commission to accelerate the phase-out of petrol and diesel cars in the EU

The transport sector accounts for around one quarter of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions and reaching the EU’s objective of climate neutrality by 2050 will require a swift transition to a sustainable transport sector. Car manufacturers are increasingly directing investments into the development and production of zero- and low emission vehicles, but the transition must be speed up by committing to zero-emission mobility and giving clear signals to manufacturers, fleet owners and consumers.

Therefore, nine Member States are joining forces, encouraging the Commission to put forward ambitious and cost-effective policies to support an accelerated and balanced shift towards zero-emission vehicles, including:

• A phase-out date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in the EU as an important policy tool to incentivise the transition to zero emission vehicles.
• EU legislation allowing Member States to take action at national level to incentivise early phase-out of new petrol and diesel cars and vans.
• Ambitious and cost-effective regulation at EU level, including a significant strengthening of the CO₂ emissions performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles.
• Strengthening charging and refueling infrastructure for zero-emission vehicles.

“In order to deliver on the increased EU 2030 climate target and to reach climate neutrality by 2050, it is essential to ensure a shift towards a sustainable transport sector. We have to accelerate the green transition of road transport and as legislators send clear signals to car manufacturers and consumers across the EU. To that end, I am delighted that we have managed to gather nine EU Member States to call on the European Commission to put forward ambitious and concrete policies to ensure the necessary transition to zero-emission vehicles”, says Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Dan Jørgensen.

“A timely transition to zero-emission cars and vans are vital to achieving climate neutrality in the EU by 2050. Consequently, we are nine Member States calling for EU-wide policies to facilitate the green transition of road transport, including a phase-out date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the EU. In addition, we need a legal framework that allows Member States to move ahead at national level”, says Danish Minister for Transport, Benny Engelbrecht.

The non-paper and letter to the European Commission has been signed by Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands.

Signing ministers:

 

Leonore Gewessler
Federal Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of Austria

Zakia Khattabi
Minister of Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal of Belgium

Tinne Van der Straeten
Minister of Energy of Belgium

Georges Gilkinet
Minister of Mobility of Belgium

Dan Jørgensen
Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities of Denmark

Benny Engelbrecht
Minister for Transport of Denmark

Lea Wermelin
Minister of Environment of Denmark

Kostas Skrekas
Minister of Environment and Energy of Greece

Konstantinos A. Karamanlis
Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of Greece

Eamon Ryan
Minister for Transport; Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications of Ireland

Simonas Gentvilas
Minister of Environment of Lithuania

François Bausch
Minister for Mobility and Public Works of Luxembourg

Carole Dieschbourg
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development of Luxembourg

Aaron Farrugia
Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning of Malta

Ian Borg
Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects of Malta

Stientje van Veldhoven-van der Meer
State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands

Facts

• The European Commission is currently preparing the comprehensive “Fit for 55” package due in June this year to deliver on the increased climate target of at least 55 percent emissions reduction by 2030.
• EU has an objective of climate neutrality by 2050 and at least 55 percent greenhouse gas emissions reductions by 2030.
• The transport sector accounts for around one quarter of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and emissions are increasing over time.
• Road transport accounts for approximately 70 percent of the total EU greenhouse gas emissions within transport.
• The “Fit for 55” package will includes a revision on the regulation setting CO₂ emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles (Regulation (EU) 2019/631).