The European Commission has introduced a set of new measures to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the freight transport industry. These measures aim to expedite the adoption of electric heavy-duty vehicles, increase the use of rail for freight shipping, and assist shipping companies in reporting their carbon emissions.
These initiatives are part of the European Union’s strategy to decarbonize the transportation sector, in line with the European Green Deal. The EU envisions transforming the region into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy, with the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
The EU’s climate strategy includes a target to reduce transport emissions by 90% by 2050. Freight transportation is responsible for approximately 30% of these emissions, which are projected to rise by 50% by 2050 if decarbonization measures are not implemented, according to the Commission. Currently, about 53% of freight in the EU is transported by road.
The newly announced regulations by the Commission entail revising the EU’s Weights and Dimensions Directive, which specifies the maximum weight, length, width, and height of heavy-duty vehicles. The proposed revision would allow additional weight for vehicles utilizing zero-emission technologies, which typically increase vehicle weight. The Commission believes that this revision will incentivize the adoption of cleaner vehicles and enable zero-emission vehicles to carry additional payloads as technology progresses and becomes lighter.
The proposals also include measures to optimize rail transport usage, such as improving cross-border coordination, punctuality, and reliability. The aim is to attract more freight companies to use rail, which currently accounts for only around 12% of goods transported between EU countries. The proposal provides incentives for infrastructure managers and rail undertakings to better coordinate the use of railway infrastructure capacity within the single European railway area, moving away from the current fragmented approach that often results in border delays.
Furthermore, the Commission suggests implementing a standardized method for shipping companies to calculate their greenhouse gas emissions. This approach would be based on the new ISO/CEN standard, enabling companies to report their emissions on a consistent and comparable basis to shippers.