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InfluenceMap: Suppliers undermine EU climate protection agenda in transport
According to a new analysis by the British climate think tank InfluenceMap, key players in the European automotive supply industry are lobbying to weaken or delay EU policy on decarbonizing the transport sector. InfluenceMap's latest investor briefing presents a systematic analysis of the climate lobbying of an often-overlooked part of the automotive supply chain. The analysts focused on the activities of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) and Europe's leading automotive supplier and major CLEPA member, Robert Bosch (Bosch). The NGO recently analyzed the climate protection commitment of car manufacturers and identified Toyota and BMW as the biggest laggards in the transition to climate-neutral mobility, but also acknowledged the growing support of the Volkswagen Group in this transformation. The new analysis builds on that.
"This study highlights the climate policy lobbying efforts of an often-overlooked part of the supply chain in the automotive industry. It shows that, although both CLEPA and Bosch claim to take climate change seriously, their actions threaten to undermine the EU's policy efforts to decarbonize the transport sector," criticizes InfluenceMap analyst Kalina Dmitriew.
A large part of these political efforts could take place in the background while public attention focused more on consumer-oriented car brands, Dmitriew added.
"If the EU wants to be successful in decarbonizing the transport sector, all parts of the supply chain will probably need to be involved and their advocacy carefully scrutinized."
Large Gap Between Words and Actions
These organizations are rated D and D+ on the InfluenceMap system for measuring political engagement in relation to the goals of the Paris Agreement, which indicates "obstructive climate policy engagement," according to the NGO. It shows that while both organizations have increasingly made positive-sounding statements about long-term climate policy, they have resisted various policy measures aimed at helping the EU achieve its climate goals. According to the NGO, this includes:
- Both CLEPA and Bosch opposed the 2035 target for zero-emission CO2 for motor vehicles in an EU consultation, citing the potential loss of jobs if this target were realized.
- Both organizations have advocated for a "technology-neutral" climate policy, which seems to favor the long-term use of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles over the electrification of transport.
- CLEPA and Bosch have consistently advocated for the long-term use of "E-fuels" to extend the lifespan of internal combustion engine vehicles in Europe and have lobbied for "E-fuel" credits to be included in the EU's CO2 standards. According to the NGO, this could potentially weaken the stringency of these regulations. Recent studies have shown that "E-fuels" are too inefficient and expensive compared to electric vehicles to power road transport in Europe and that they produce similar amounts of local air pollutants, including NOx, as conventional fuels.
Access to senior EU officials around Frans Timmermans
The investigation also aims to show that both CLEPA and - to a lesser extent - Bosch had extensive access to EU officials involved in shaping the relevant climate policy. In 2021 alone, CLEPA met seven times with representatives of the European Commission, including a cabinet member in the office of Climate Commissioner Frans Timmermans. Policymakers in the European Parliament are currently discussing CO2 emission standards for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
Partly in contrast to the efforts of car manufacturers
The analysis also claims to have demonstrated that the political lobbying by CLEPA and Bosch is in contrast to some of the continent's largest car manufacturers, such as Volkswagen and Volvo, who increasingly support the shift from combustion engines to electric vehicles. The report is in line with recent reports highlighting Bosch's role in the British anti-EV scandal Astongate, as well as comments from Bosch's then CEO in 2021, who criticized the EU's "fixation" on electric cars, according to the NGO. However, it also highlights a potential discrepancy between the two organizations since September 2021, when former Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner appeared to communicate a partial change in the company's stance on CO2 standards, while CLEPA remained in opposition. Nonetheless, Bosch remains a member of CLEPA's board.
EU Parliament debates CO2 limits
The briefing comes at a time when the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament will hold an exchange of views on the CO2 report draft on January 13, 2022. This marks the beginning of a year of negotiations on CO2 emission standards for cars and vans, following the European Commission's proposal under the "Fit for 55" legislative package to phase out the use of combustion engines from 2035, mandating a 55% reduction in fleet-wide CO2 emissions by 2030 and 100% five years later.
Although the supplier and components sector has significantly less economic weight than the automotive sector itself (0.9 million employees in Europe compared to 2.6 million), its influence on the EU Parliament and the Council could still be very significant, the organization estimates. Both CLEPA and Bosch have linked the EU's zero CO2 emission target for 2035 with high future unemployment rates in the auto parts industry in their communications.
Translated automatically from German.
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