About: road transport
Austro-German road-charging debacle reignites pan-EU toll debate
After the EU Court of Justice ruled against Germany's plans to introduce a highway toll, the debate about an EU-wide motorway toll has once again been ignited. An analysis by Herbert Vytiska.
Is technology about to overcome the ‘too heavy to electrify’ obstacle?
The scientific literature remains sceptical about trucks becoming battery-operated due to the cost and weight of large battery packs. But that could change soon as costs of battery packs continues to fall, writes Björn Nykvist.
Flurry of agreements to cushion blow of no-deal Brexit
As Britain tries to steer away from a dreaded "no-deal" divorce with the EU, a flurry of agreements are being hammered out to cushion the most painful blows.
European drivers may be wary of cars that stop them from speeding
Fully automated driving may be years away, but a new EU law being debated by legislators would mandate some semi-autonomous features in new cars, such as intelligent speed assistance. And the auto industry is worried about driver backlash.
Modular or ‘monster’ trucks back on the table
EU lawmakers are floating the idea of offering incentives for extra-long trucks made up of multiple trailers in the EU’s first truck CO2 legislation.
Truck makers push back against EU’s first ever CO2 limits
The European Commission’s proposal to mandate a 15% cut in CO2 emission from trucks by 2025 is overly ambitious, according to industry association ACEA, which said a 7% objective would be more “realistic” given the technologies currently available.
Truck drivers could pay the price for EU compromise on posted workers
Two draft laws which will be voted on during the European Parliament's plenary session on Thursday (14 June) could lead to more job insecurity for lorry drivers. EURACTIV.fr reports.
Ambitious agreement on CO2 emission of heavy-duty vehicles
Coaches, buses and lorries are responsible for a quarter of CO2 emissions from transport. Soon, manufacturers will have to provide data on CO2 emissions and fuel consumption performance of their new vehicles. EURACTIV’s partner le JDLE reports.
Divisions over proposal to end Eurovignette system
The European Parliament could pass a law on the compulsory replacement of the Eurovignette, by a system of tolls, despite the reluctance of Member States. EURACTIV.fr reports
For whom the road tolls?
The European Commission's proposal to phase-out of car vignettes is fully in line with the treaties and the EU executive has every right to table legislation to that effect, argues Samuel Kenny.
Scientists demand end to crop-based biofuels
A group of 177 Dutch scientist have signed a letter urging the Netherlands to back a complete phase-out of crop-based biofuels at European level, calling them a “false solution to climate problems”.
Think tanker: E-mobility push won’t affect EU oil demand significantly until 2040s
The IEA’s latest World Energy Outlook suggests the EU is set to wean itself off oil even as global consumption continues to rise. EURACTIV.com asked Georg Zachmann, a senior fellow at the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, how he sees oil demand in the EU changing in the coming years.
Vestager doles out more truck cartel fines
Swedish truckmaker Scania was hit with an €880 million fine by the EU on Wednesday (27 September) for taking part in a 14-year price fixing cartel, boosting the total fine for the firms involved to a record €3.8 billion.
Cartel probe looms over German car industry
German carmakers faced a brewing scandal Monday (24 July) as suspicions grew they colluded illegally for decades, further damaging the industry's image and exposing it to massive financial risks.
Commission to approve €2.7 billion funding for transport projects
The Commission proposed on Friday (23 June) to invest €2.7 billion in 152 transport projects ranging from a railway network upgrade in Poland to a road tunnel linking Slovenia and Austria.
How do you put a price on trucks’ impact on society?
Hauliers claim that trucks are overpaying in taxes and charges compared to their impact on the environment and society. But the reality is that road transport is now Europe’s biggest climate problem, writes Samuel Kenny.
EU drafts tougher ‘Dieselgate’ rules to stop cheating
National ministers moved today (29 May) to crack down on emissions cheating after the Volkswagen "Dieselgate" scandal by giving the European Commission more powers to monitor testing and fine automakers.
Commission plans deal to settle east-west trucker dispute
The European Commission is planning a compromise between eastern and western EU member countries, which are sharply divided over labour rules for truck drivers who travel across the bloc to deliver goods, according to an internal memo from the executive's transport policy arm.
Pressure mounts on EU to pull the plug on contentious German road toll law
EU transport chief Violeta Bulc has defended the European Commission's move to vouch for a controversial German road toll bill that has spurred blistering critique and threats of a lawsuit from 11 neighbouring countries.
MEPs agree to muscle up Commission after Dieselgate, reject EU road agency
MEPs in the Internal Market Committee voted to give the European Commission more powers to police car manufacturers, but left-wing groups lost their bid to set up a new EU agency tasked with preventing another Dieselgate scandal.
Western member states demand action on low-cost truck drivers
Nine western European countries have called for the introduction of fairer social rules to govern road transport before the sector is opened up to greater liberalisation. This is meant as a warning to Brussels, which is preparing a new set of rules for May. EURACTIV France reports.
Commission to tighten labour rules for truck drivers in May
Truck drivers and trade unions have formed an alliance to demand the European Commission close loopholes that let underpaid workers from poorer EU countries deliver goods anywhere in the bloc.
Four trends that could clean up road transport
The move towards autonomous vehicles, driven by the progressive electrification of transport, and backed up by road pricing schemes, all carry the potential of radically cleaning up Europe's transport system, writes Greg Archer.