Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The European Commission has welcomed the agreement between EU Council and Parliament on new transport infrastructure.
The EC pointed out in a statement released on Tuesday that the move will increase the number of public hydrogen refuelling and electric recharging stations in the bloc.
The body expressed the belief that the agreement will help the bloc to move away from fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
The EC noted that new rules introduce mandatory targets for refuelling and recharging infrastructure for motorways, ports and more, stressing that the move will “end consumer concerns about the difficulty to recharge or refuel a vehicle.”
New rules will open doors to “a user-friendly recharging and refuelling experience, with full price transparency, common minimum payment options and coherent customer information across the EU.”
According to the EC, new rules will “enable the user of zero-emission road vehicles, in particular electric and hydrogen light- and heavy-duty vehicles, as well as electricity supply to moored vessels and stationary aircraft.”
Mixed message
The body stressed the importance of expanding recharging infrastructure at the same pace as the number of electric vehicles on the roads increases, pointing out that expansion will be connected to the number of registered electric cars.
At the same time, the EC noted that new rules include the construction of charging stations along the trans-European transport network, with stations to be built every 60 km along the network by 2025 irrespective of the number of registered vehicles.
In addition, recharging stations for heavy-duty vehicles are to be built along the network by 2030.
The EC pointed out that hydrogen refuelling stations must be built every 200 kilometres along the network by 2030, also irrespective of the number of registered vehicles.
Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean noted that new rules “will ensure that citizens and transport and logistics companies alike can rely on a strong network for charging and refuelling infrastructure on our roads, and in our ports and airports, across the European Union.”
She concluded that the move will help the bloc to develop new technologies, create jobs and decarbonise its transport sector.