EU Parliament and Council reach a deal on new public procurement rules to promote clean mobility
Date
12 Feb 2019
Sections
Climate & Environment
Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament welcome the agreement reached last night on revised rules on public procurement under the Clean Vehicles Directive. During the negotiations, S&Ds have successfully pushed for setting minimum binding targets for the procurement of clean and zero-emission vehicles by local and public authorities, so that the revised Directive contributes to the decarbonisation of EU road transport and helps member states meet their local air pollution targets.
Under the new rules, by 2030 up to 65% of new buses will have to be 'clean', as defined under the Directive on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure, of which half must be zero-emission (i.e. electric). For lower GDP member states, the transition will be slower, with around a fifth of new public buses expected to be zero-emission by 2030.
S&D negotiator, Seb Dance MEP, commented:
“These new rules put public authorities at the forefront of the transition to sustainable and zero-emission mobility.
“Binding procurement targets for clean and zero-emission buses will not only mean cleaner air and less noise in our cities, but stable demand should give confidence to EU manufacturers to invest in electric and divest from diesel and other harmful technologies.
“Unfortunately, however, as is so often the case, member states sought to reduce ambition and delay action wherever they could.”