The European Parliament adopted by 215 votes to 47, with 36 abstentions, a resolution on in response to the Commission communication on the deployment of infrastructure for alternative fuels in the European Union: time to act.

Transport is the only major economic sector in the EU where greenhouse gas emissions have increased since 1990. It is responsible for 23% of CO2-emissions, and this share is still growing. Road transport represents almost 75% of all energy used in transport and causes almost 73% of transport’s GHG emissions.

Members welcomed the Commission communication on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure and highlighted that further coordination and cooperation at EU level is needed in order to decarbonise the transport sector by 2050. They underlined the opportunities for industry, technology and employment presented by the deployment of alternative fuels and the corresponding infrastructure.

Stepping up efforts : Parliament called on the Commission to bring forward a revision of Directive 2014/94/EU on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure and to focus on its proper implementation, taking into account that only 8 of 25 Member States have so far fully implemented it.

The Commission’s evaluation of the National Framework Plans (NFPs) reveals differing levels of effort, ambition and available funding between Member States and that the deployment of alternative fuels falls short of being comprehensive and evenly distributed.

The Commission is invited to:

replace the system of NFPs with more efficient instruments, including concrete, binding and enforceable targets , to formulate sustainability criteria; take into account the projected and realised uptake of alternative-fuel vehicles and their technological progress, allow Member States flexibility in determining how to reach the targets, and pursue the goal of having a trans-European infrastructure network for all alternative fuels that is accessible, compatible and interoperable; create a level playing field between the different alternative fuels ensuring technology neutrality; assess the feasibility of life-cycle assessments for all alternative fuels, batteries and powertrain solutions; complement the climate-related goals of Directive 2014/94/EC with additional clean air measures following the fitness check of the EU Ambient Air Quality Directives.

Improved batteries : Members stressed the importance of the technological advances that are already under way or in the pipeline in the fields of batteries, hydrogen and energy storage. New infrastructure must be adaptable to changes, both in terms of volumes and in terms of technologies. They stressed, for example, that a massive increase in the number of electric vehicles coupled with an increase in the range of those vehicles to 400 km will have an impact on the deployment density of the network of charging stations, as well as on the type of charging required.

Parliament supported electrified roads that allow electric vehicles to charge as they drive stating that this may be a solution to reducing battery size and, consequently, the prices of new vehicles.

Stressing the importance of sustainable urban planning, Members suggested focusing efforts on the deployment of specific infrastructure for alternative fuels for public and collective transport services, such as buses, trams, trains, shared cars, taxis and mini vans.

Members welcomed the Commission's initiative for a European alliance for sustainable batteries and supported the establishment of a European production of battery cells based on next generation technologies.

Clean Mobility Fund : the Commission's effort to provide additional start-up funding of EUR 800 million to support the development of alternative fuel infrastructure was welcomed.

However, Members expressed doubt that the leverage will be sufficient given the projected need for EUR 5.2 billion up to 2020 and an additional EUR 16-22 billion of overall investment up to 2025.

The Commission is urged to increase the initial funding , to support not only the deployment but also the operation of such infrastructure.

Taxation : Members noted that taxation has a major impact on the price competitiveness of alternative fuels. They called on Member States to review their energy taxation frameworks in order to facilitate and incentivise the uptake of low-carbon and carbon-free alternative fuels and to remove present disparities in energy taxation between different transport modes.

An alternative industrial policy : Parliament expressed regret that progress regarding the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure and the availability of alternatively powered vehicles is too slow, with only 19 Battery Electric Vehicles and 25 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles available in 2017 compared to 417 models with internal combustion engines, and called on manufacturers to step up efforts in this regard. It emphasised the connection between the availability of alternatively fuelled vehicles, the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure and consumer demand for these technologies and highlighted, in this regard, that moving towards alternative fuels and powertrains could help the industry to be globally competitive and keep high-quality jobs in Europe.

Lastly, Parliament called for the deployment of multi-energy stations so as to avoid the creation of various different distribution networks for each type of power supply. Most charging of electric vehicles will occur at home or at work, complemented by charging at public and semi-public places such as supermarkets, train stations or airports. In this regard, a greater focus on smart charging solutions is needed, grid stability must be ensured and self-consumption enabled.

The Committee on Transport and Tourism adopted the own-initiative report by Ismail ERTUG (S&D, DE) in response to the Commission communication on the deployment of infrastructure for alternative fuels in the European Union: time to act.

Transport is the only major economic sector in the EU where greenhouse gas emissions have increased since 1990. It is responsible for 23% of CO2-emissions, and this share is still growing. Road transport represents almost 75% of all energy used in transport and causes almost 73% of transport’s GHG emissions. 94% of Europe’s transport sector is depending on oil, 90% of which have to be imported, including from some countries with an unstable political situation.

In order to keep the increase in the global temperature to well below 2°C while pursuing the 1.5°C target as signed up to in the Paris Agreement, road transport needs to be fully decarbonised with zero net emissions by 2050 at the latest. A shift to alternative fuels can help achieve this goal, although conventional fuels will still be needed for the foreseeable future until such time as demand can be met in full by alternative fuels.

Deficits of existing directive : Members called on the Commission to bring forward a revision of Directive 2014/94/EU on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure and to focus on its proper implementation, taking into account that only 8 of 25 Member States have so far fully implemented it.

The Commission’s evaluation of the National Framework Plans (NFPs) reveals differing levels of effort, ambition and available funding between Member States and that the deployment of alternative fuels falls short of being comprehensive and evenly distributed.

The Commission is invited to:

replace the system of NFPs with more efficient instruments, including concrete, binding and enforceable targets , to formulate sustainability criteria; take into account the projected and realised uptake of alternative-fuel vehicles and their technological progress, allow Member States flexibility in determining how to reach the targets, and pursue the goal of having a trans-European infrastructure network for all alternative fuels that is accessible, compatible and interoperable; create a level playing field between the different alternative fuels ensuring technology neutrality; assess the feasibility of life-cycle assessments for all alternative fuels, batteries and powertrain solutions; complement the climate-related goals of Directive 2014/94/EC with additional clean air measures following the fitness check of the EU Ambient Air Quality Directives.

Improved batteries : Members stressed the importance of the technological advances that are already under way or in the pipeline in the fields of batteries, hydrogen and energy storage. New infrastructure must be adaptable to changes, both in terms of volumes and in terms of technologies. They stressed, for example, that a massive increase in the number of electric vehicles coupled with an increase in the range of those vehicles to 400 km will have an impact on the deployment density of the network of charging stations, as well as on the type of charging required.

The report supported electrified roads that allow electric vehicles to charge as they drive stating that this may be a solution to reducing battery size and, consequently, the prices of new vehicles.

Members called on the Commission and Member States to particularly turn their attention to the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure for collective and public transport services , such as buses, trams, trains, shared cars, taxis and mini vans, as well as for bicycles, scooters and motorcycles.

Financing alternative fuels infrastructure : the Commission’s effort to provide an additional EUR 800 million as start-up financing to support the uptake of alternative fuels infrastructure has been welcomed. However, Members expressed doubt that the leverage will be sufficient given the projected need for EUR 5.2 billion up to 2020 and an additional EUR 16-22 billion of overall investment up to 2025.

The Commission is urged to increase the initial funding , to support not only the deployment but also the operation of such infrastructure.

Taxation : Members noted that taxation has a major impact on the price competitiveness of alternative fuels. They called on Member States to review their energy taxation frameworks in order to facilitate and incentivise the uptake of low-carbon and carbon-free alternative fuels and to remove present disparities in energy taxation between different transport modes.

An alternative industrial policy : Members expressed regret t hat progress regarding the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure and the availability of alternatively powered vehicles is too slow, with only 19 Battery Electric Vehicles and 25 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles available in 2017 compared to 417 models with internal combustion engines, and calls on manufacturers to step up efforts in this regard. They emphasised the connection between the availability of alternatively fuelled vehicles, the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure and consumer demand for these technologies and highlighted, in this regard, that moving towards alternative fuels and powertrains could help the industry to be globally competitive and keep high-quality jobs in Europe.

Lastly, the report called for the deployment of multi-energy stations so as to avoid the creation of various different distribution networks for each type of power supply. Most charging of electric vehicles will occur at home or at work, complemented by charging at public and semi-public places such as supermarkets, train stations or airports. In this regard, a greater focus on smart charging solutions is needed, grid stability must be ensured and self-consumption enabled.

PURPOSE: to present an action plan to achieve the widest possible use of alternative fuels.

BACKGROUND: by 2025, the EU should have completed basic charging and refuelling infrastructure, ensuring full coverage of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) core network corridors. The future deployment of infrastructure will require significant public and private investment .

With the agreement of Paris on climate change in force, it is necessary to accelerate the transition to a modern low-carbon economy. In order for the EU to make a successful transition to low-emission or zero-emission mobility, the Commission believes that an integrated approach is required. This requires a common policy framework for vehicles, infrastructure, electricity grids, economic incentives and digital services at EU, national, regional and local levels.

CONTENT: the Commission's action plan sets out measures to complement and better implement national policy frameworks (NPFs) under Directive 2014/94/EU on alternative fuels infrastructure .

Current situation and needs : although the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure has recently intensified, the EU now needs to accelerate deployment in two areas: first, in the core network and the overall TEN-T network.

The level of ambition between different Member States varies significantly . For example, only two Member State provide more than 100 recharging points for electric vehicles per 100 000 city inhabitants.

Analysis of the NPFs under Directive 2014/94/EU results in the following estimates of infrastructure investment needs by Member States, including the TEN-T core network corridors:

electricity : up to EUR 904 million by 2020; compressed natural gas (CNG): up to EUR 357 million by 2020 and up to EUR 600 million by 2025 for road vehicles running on CNG; liquefied natural gas (LNG): up to EUR 257 million by 2025 for road vehicles operating on LNG. For LNG for waterborne transport, up to EUR 945 million in the TEN-T Core Network Corridor seaports by 2025 and up to EUR 1 billion in the TEN-T Core Network Corridor inland ports by 2030; hydrogen : up to EUR 707 million by 2025.

Overall, the analysis of the situation shows that the NPFs combined do not add up to a conclusive picture that provides the long-term market certainty that is needed.

By 6 November 2017, only 8 out of 25 NPFs fully meet the NPF requirements.

The actions proposed in the framework of the plan revolve around the following objectives:

Accelerate the completion and implementation of national policy frameworks : the Commission will support the exchange of information and mutual learning on the implementation of national policy frameworks, starting in March 2018 with a group of experts, then from the end of autumn 2018 with annual policy conferences. It will consider how to best reflect priorities of NPFs in the allocation of EU project funding and in European Semester reporting.

Investment support : the Commission will organise roadshows in Member States starting in November 2017 to review in a comprehensive way the ambition of the NPFs and the investment needs for low and zero emission mobility as well as assess the opportunities offered by different EU funding and financial instruments.

As a result, an additional EU financial support of up to EUR 800 million from CEF and NER300 is being made available with this action plan for investments into alternative fuels infrastructure

Enabling actions in urban areas : many European cities and regions are frontrunners in the transition to low and zero emission mobility. The Commission will also look into and adapt, where feasible, funding for alternative fuels in urban nodes, including for fleet solutions, by the end of 2017.

Increasing consumer buy-in : users must be able to use the entire transport network in a simple and seamless way.

Greater collaboration between public and private actors is needed. This implies access to reliable and timely information on the location and availability of charging points or refuelling points. Interoperable and easy-to-use payment services will also have a major impact.

In the end all parts of the necessary infrastructure need to be digitally connected (i.e. remotely and in real time for charging stations).

Integrating electric vehicles into the electricity system : Member States should:

adopt a legislative framework to fully meet demand and enable smart charging; encourage the deployment of charging points and pre-wiring of parking spaces in residential and non-residential buildings; ensure that smart charging technologies such as smart meters are rolled out and that already adopted and upcoming smart charging standards for electric vehicles are being applied.

Electro-mobility related needs will be taken into account in the context of Horizon 2020 programming as well as in the context of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) process and other stakeholder fora.

The Commission concluded that the assessment of NPFs under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive shows that there is a lot to learn from the positive experiences of some Member States.

Serious cross-border and cross-sector collaboration of all public and private stakeholders is needed. The lock-in of technologies and markets needs to be prevented. For markets to grow, alternative fuels infrastructures and their services need to be open, transparent and interoperable.

The Commission stands ready to support this process through both means of non-legislative and legislative action.