May 31, 2022. With the ‘Fit for 55’ package, the European Commission has put forward key proposals to put the EU on a trajectory towards climate neutrality in 2050. NGVA Europe strongly supports the overall political ambition and look forward to the challenge of the transition, which is undoubtedly underway, specifically in mobility. However, to achieve the objectives and not lose support in the long run, NGVA Europe emphasizes the importance of a technology-mix that embraces all relevant solutions to reduce CO2 emissions without ignoring the varied realities of consumer and industry needs. It is concerned that the Commission’s proposals do not achieve such a balance.
Representing the mobility, engineering, and energy sectors, the signatories of this letter are keen on contributing to efficient and effective solutions, which work for the climate, consumers, the competitiveness of their industries and the EU’s strategic autonomy.
They would like to stress the need for a technology open regulation on CO2 emission standards from vehicles. Where clean electric mobility is the solution that meets consumers’ demands, it will succeed. Where it is not (yet) feasible, there should be choice. EU employment remains stable with a technology open regulation while also providing affordable and low-cost solutions for vulnerable households and businesses. To reduce carbon emissions, the electricity and fuels used to power vehicles need to be renewable. Hence, the focus should be put on decarbonizing the electricity and fuels supply, not on banning or promoting one technology over others.
A transition towards electric mobility at the pace which is currently debated, will make it difficult to manage the transformation of the industry and its workforce without disruption. In the automotive supply industry alone, the CO2 targets already proposed by the European Commission put over 500,000 jobs in the powertrain domain at risk until 2040, with the majority of the risk occurring between 2030 and 2035.
