20 Dec Provisional deal between Council and Parliament on ETS: UETR sees ETS hand in hand with AFIR, strict earmarking to support the sector and consideration of energy prices crisis.
The agreed timeline for ETS is positive as it shows a pragmatic and more realistic approach for road transport sector.
For Social Fund, UETR calls for certainty on the effectiveness and practicability of the Fund to fully mitigate the social and economic impacts on small transport companies.
UETR stresses the importance of earmarking of revenues to investments to support and promote green road transport.
UETR points out that the any inclusion of road transport in ETS needs as essential prerequisite the full deployment of AFIR infrastructure.
The energy prices crisis in Europe is putting at risk road transport companies which play a vital role delivering goods to people and business. UETR appreciate the provision on the start of the new ETS in 2028 in case the energy prices will be exceptionally high.
In this respect, UETR wants to point out that ICE vehicles still constitute the vast majority of existing fleets and diesel fuel is one of the biggest cost item in the operation of a lorry by a transport company.
The EU Energy Taxation Directive allows the possibility to establish a difference in taxation for commercial use of gas oil. As the Directive currently sets a minimum rate of taxation on diesel below which Member countries cannot go, UETR believes Members States must be given the possibility to apply lower excise duty rates for freight transport, even below the minimum threshold set by the Directive (current rules state that the rate for commercial use may not be lower than that which was applied at the pumps on 1 January 2003).
UETR fully supports the green transition objectives and the deployment of alternative fuels for road transport. Without robust and long-term action at the EU level, the current energy prices crisis will also seriously endanger the transition to low carbon economy and the achievement of the EU Green Deal objectives.
Info on the provisional deal here
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