Joint letter - Support for EU CO2 Standards for cars and vans and 2035 zero-emission target

Together with Charge Up Europe, Eurelectric, Eurocities, EuropeOn, International Copper Association Europe, POLIS, SmartEn and T&E, AVERE expresses our strong support for the EU CO2 standards for cars and vans, and the 2035 100% zero-emission target. This vital framework provides our e-mobility ecosystem with the certainty needed for long-term investment decisions, driving Europe’s industrial future and bringing a range of benefits to its consumers. The target is also a key enabler for the European decarbonisation objectives under the Green Deal, as well as the successful implementation of the Zero Pollution Action Plan, to safeguard the public health of our citizens.

Any reopening or weakening of these standards would penalise these efforts and would divert investors from investing into European e-mobility. We urge that you make long-term industrial competitiveness your priority over the next five years for the EU to implement the Green Deal.

If we seize that opportunity, Europe’s transition to zero-emission vehicles will provide an estimated 581,000 skilled new jobs, including in the battery value chain, charging infrastructure, e-mobility services, digitalisation and more. This opportunity is essential to a just energy transition for Europe, and is already underway. But the risk remains that through back-sliding, other regions will take the lead in capturing many of these jobs instead of Europe.

Regulatory stability and legal certainty are the foundation for Europe’s e-mobility ecosystem to accelerate investments and drive a new EU industrial success story.

Call to Action:

Therefore, we urge you to confirm the targets set in the CO2 standards for cars and vans, and focus your political efforts on addressing the real challenges that stand in the way of our shared goals.

Europe’s e-mobility ecosystem should be at the heart of the “new competitiveness deal” requested by the European Council, through decisive action to create certainty, attract investment and remove the regulatory barriers impeding the transition to zero-emission vehicles. Europe must focus its energy and efforts on the enabling conditions that will drive this transition.

This includes:

1. Implementing legislation and removing administrative blockages: Ensuring consistent implementation of adopted legislation across Member States to avoid fragmentation and tackling the administrative blockages and burdens, notably those slowing the deployment of charging infrastructure.

2. Supporting Infrastructure Development: Investing in comprehensive charging infrastructure - both slow and fast chargers across the EU27 - and grid scale-up and flexibility, to support the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

3. Accelerating investment in the whole value chain: Launching an EU investment plan for scaling-up the e-mobility ecosystem, amidst rising global competition, backed by increased and simplified funding, and continued research and development into new technologies. This includes accelerating efforts towards strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy in the critical raw material space.

4. Incentivizing Adoption: Implementing policies that encourage consumers and businesses to switch to zero-emission vehicles through incentives and support schemes for acquisition and EV use.

5. Upskilling and reskilling workforces: The EU and Member States must leverage the Net-Zero Industry Act to support training programs that upskill and reskill workers throughout the value chain from vehicle manufacturing, to repair and maintenance to infrastructure deployment, addressing the demands of zero-emission transport and fostering industry innovation.

By focusing on these areas, the European Parliament can help ensure Europe becomes a global leader in zero-emission transport, on its roads, in its factories and in innovative e-mobility services. This leadership will drive economic growth, create jobs, and ensure that Europe remains a competitive and innovative mobility hub.

We stand ready to support and collaborate with the European Parliament and other stakeholders to achieve these goals and ensure a successful transition to a zero-emission future.