This analysis reveals the variety in positions among the MEPs and among EU Governments on top contention points within key transport files currently examined by the European Parliament and the Council.

This report highlights the amount of influence and the direction in which each MEP is pushing EU transport legislation in the current Parliamentary term. It also outlines the existing divergent visions within each political faction and, in some cases, among Governments. 

Revision of CO2 emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles

Status

• European Parliament: Advanced ENVI committee stage 
• Council of the EU: Ongoing examination

Positioning of politicians

EU Parliament: The proposal has already surfaced a first round of divergences. 

• There are MEPs who believe that combustion engine technologies should be assessed as compatible with EU climate targets, as long as fossil fuels are substituted with greener alternatives, such as low-carbon and net-zero liquid fuels. EPP (key MEP: Marinescu - VP ENVI & influential on transport files) and ECR (key MEP: shadow rapporteur Fiocchi) MEPs and the nationalists from ID are among them.
• In contrast, different voices, particularly from the left forces, are urging the sale of combustion engine vehicles to be phased out as quickly as possible, favoring electric and green hydrogen power transport means. Greens and the Left are the most prominent voices on this approach. Different S&D (key MEP: shadow rapporteur Schaldemose) and Renew (key MEP: shadow rapporteur Canfin) members are also likely to join this camp.
• Nevertheless, the Czech (key MEP: Knotek from ENVI) and German (key MEP: Müller from ENVI) delegations from Renew are more likely to support a gradual decarbonization process of road transport. Also, MEPs from S&D (especially the Romanians) may eventually join this camp.

The matrix below indicates how influential each MEP is when regulating road transport, as well as the direction in which each MEP is pushing the legislation. Each dot in this chart is an MEP. Their position in the matrix is computed based on MEPs’ track record when taking positions on the decarbonization of road transport. The data covers the activities during the current Parliamentary term (since 2019). 

For more information regarding the positioning of all MEPs click here. To access this info you need a premium subscription to our platform. If you don’t have one yet, please contact us at [email protected].

EU Council: A group of eight (Italy, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary) are likely to position against any new exhaust emission standards for cars and vans.

For more information regarding member states positioning, please contact us at [email protected].

Euro 7 emission standards

Status

• European Parliament: Advanced ENVI committee stage 
• Council of the EU: Ongoing examination

Positioning of politicians

EU Parliament: MEPs have already expressed mixed feelings on the proposal for more stringent air pollutant emissions standards for combustion-engine vehicles. 

• Different EPP members, through the voice of MEP Gieseke (the group’s negotiator on the Euro 7 file), declared opposition to a total ban on sales of new cars with combustion engines from 2035. The position is also shared by ECR and the nationalists from ID.
• Divergent opinions are expected within EPP too. MEPs from the Dutch and Irish delegations are likely to favor stricter regulations on emission standards than other MEPs from the same party.
• On the other side, Social Democrats, different Renew MEPs and the Greens, in particular, seem to favor strict emission standards and a faster phasing out of combustion-engine vehicles.
• A group of yet undecided Renew members, particularly from the German (MEP Müller from ENVI),Czech ( MEP Knotek from ENVI) and Spain (MEP Bilbao Barandica) delegations are likely to favor more flexible emission standards, making the difference during the final vote.

The table above shows how influential MEP Bilbao Barandica on files related to the decarbonisation of the road transport as well as her positioning when regulating emission standards on the industry. Her legislative record indicates that she is likely to favor more flexible emission standards for the industry compared to the average position within the Renew group. 

Note: To have a full report of MEP Bilbao Barandica’s previous positions and votes on files dealing with net-zero technologies, you need to log in with a premium account. 

For more information regarding the positioning of MEP Bilbao Barandica click here. To access this info you need a premium subscription to our platform. If you don’t have one yet, please contact us at [email protected].

EU Council: Italy, together with France, the Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Poland and Hungary have banded together to oppose the Euro 7 rules under their current form, citing impacts the rules could have on jobs and local industry. 

For more information regarding member states positioning, please contact us at [email protected].

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EU Matrix is an EU-focused research platform / think tank that combines expert insight and digital technology to provide factual and objective information on how the EU political machinery works. Our data helps at understanding where each political entity actually stands on hot topics when European debates take place and decisions are made. 

Upon request, EU Matrix can provide detailed assessments on the aforementioned legislative files and on many other topics with high stakes for interested parties. Find out more about the EU Matrix here.