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EU Climate Package: Transport Forum Demands More Money and Lower Taxes

No taxes, but massive investments - these are just two of the demands that the German Transport Forum is making to the Commission ahead of the EU's "Fit for 55" climate package. The business association is particularly calling for electromobility, alternative drives, and uniform rules for the CO2 price. 

Hydrogen train of Siemens AG. | Photo: Siemens AG
Hydrogen train of Siemens AG. | Photo: Siemens AG
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Nadine Bradl

On Wednesday, July 14, the European Commission will present its package of measures for climate protection. What exactly will be included is not yet known, but the German Transport Forum already has clear ideas on what the Legislative Package "Fit for 55" should include. Among them the development of infrastructure for electromobility as well as a hydrogen economy and the elimination of taxes on renewable energies. The Chairman of the Presidium of the German Transport Forum (DVF), Prof. Raimund Klinkner, has now pointed out the significance of the measures.

"The transport sector now needs very comprehensive and far-reaching measures from the EU: Investments must be massively increased and accelerated to achieve climate goals. In addition to expanding renewable energies for electromobility, large-scale production of green hydrogen and e-fuels is required, which does not currently exist. Europe needs a unified CO2 price that is technology-neutral and efficiently incentivizes the switch to new fuels and drives. The decisive step is therefore the inclusion of road traffic in the European emissions trading system. The EU should coordinate climate protection instruments in aviation and shipping globally and not knowingly create new facts for carbon leakage."

Klinkner further believes that successfully implementing the climate policy transformation in such a short time presents a historic challenge for the transport sector in Europe. Regulations and strategy papers alone are not enough.

"If mobility is merely restricted and made more expensive, it undermines acceptance and competitiveness. Transport needs real alternatives. The EU must do more to ensure that the European transport sector can actually achieve the climate goals," says the DVF chief.

    The DVF considers the following guidelines in the sense of a triad to be particularly important for the implementation of the Green Deal:

    1. Enable Sustainable Mobility

    • EU-wide development of charging infrastructure for electromobility with cars, light and heavy commercial vehicles. The range of solutions includes zero-emission and particularly low-emission drives and fuels, including overhead line variants and inductive charging.
    • Expansion of renewable electricity production, establishment of a green hydrogen economy and supply with e-fuels. The EU must set ambitious, achievable targets for the production and market introduction of hydrogen and e-fuels in the Renewable Energy Directive RED III and promote international cooperation.
    • Increase investments in rail transport, public transport, waterways, multimodal networking and digitalization. Implementation must be accelerated. The European Commission's infringement proceedings against German measure laws for the construction of important transport infrastructure projects are counterproductive for climate protection.
    • The potential of new mobility services and cycling to reduce emissions must also be fully exploited.

    2. Establish reliable, uniform, and competitive rules for CO2 pricing

    • Inclusion of road traffic in the EU Emissions Trading System by 2025.
    • The pricing must be fair and transparent. No multiple charges for identical external costs with different instruments.
    • The specific solutions for CO2 reduction are determined by market participants. No political mandate for certain technologies.
    • Rules for globally operating carriers must be coordinated worldwide, such as CORSIA in aviation and equivalent instruments of the IMO in maritime transport. The EU should not unilaterally subject fuels for these modes of transport to taxation. Disregarding these principles can result in severe competitive distortions to the detriment of domestic carriers.

    3. Reinvest taxes and duties, release funds for innovations

    • Full reimbursement of revenues from CO2 pricing to companies and consumers for investments in sustainable mobility.
    • Elimination of taxes and other burdens on renewable energies for the transport sector within the framework of the Energy Tax Directive.
    • State aid approval of member states' support programs for emission reduction, e.g., the innovation premium for airlines and modernization support for inland vessels.
    Translated automatically from German.
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