Road transport

"We're going to have to pay for the decarbonised economy with the carbon economy" advocates European Parliament Transport Committee Chair Karima Delli
Future of mobility 07-06-2024

Outgoing EU parliament transport chair Karima Delli talks trains, planes and automobiles

Est. 5min

Set to bid farewell to the European Parliament after three successive terms, French Green MEP and chair of the Transport Committee Karima Delli told Euractiv that the biggest achievement of her time there is bringing transport high on the agenda.

“The automotive industry ... generates over 7% of EU’s GDP and around 13.8 million people work in it, creating important multiplier effects in supplier industries” explained Emil Boc, chair of the CoR's commission for Territorial Cohesion policy and EU Budget, and mayor of the Romanian region of Cluj-Napoc.
Electric vehicles 27-05-2024

While politicians talk green jobs, carmaking regions seek to limit the damage

Est. 5min

Europe's car-producing regions know that decarbonisation will hit the traditional car industry hard and result in thousands of job losses. For them, the name of the game now is how to limit the damage, and how the EU can help.

24-05-2024

German conservatives make internal combustion engines an election issue

Est. 3min

German conservative parties CDU and CSU (EPP) have launched a campaign against the de-facto ban of new combustion engine cars as of 2035, an issue the party says is critical for the EU election.

25-04-2024

European city leaders call for more power to pass road safety laws

Est. 1min

More than a dozen local city officials co-authored a letter published in the FT Thursday (25 April) calling for more powers to impose road safety measures.

17-04-2024

Experts discuss how to limit impact of serious road crash injuries

Est. 4min

Road safety experts met at the 2024 EU Road Safety Conference event in Dublin on Tuesday (16 April) to discuss how best to mitigate the human impacts of serious injuries, focusing on ideas like mandatory first-aid lessons, better driver training, and improved post-crash health care.

15-04-2024

German transport minister stirs climate debate with threat of driving bans

Est. 5min

A debate on abandoning sector-specific climate targets is heating up in Germany after Transport Minister Volker Wissing from the liberal FDP party warned that he might have to impose car bans on weekends unless the country’s climate law is reformed.

Electricity 08-04-2024

Carbon pricing crucial to deliver on greening transport, Volvo boss says

Est. 4min

The implementation of the EU’s carbon pricing scheme for road transport is crucial to drive the business case for electric and hydrogen trucks, Martin Lundstedt, CEO of the Volvo Group, told Euractiv in an interview.

Climate change 03-04-2024

EU transport ministers discuss ‘problem child’ of green transition

Est. 4min

As EU transport ministers gather for an informal meeting in Brussels on Wednesday (3 April), the sector remains the "problem child" of the bloc's climate efforts and could account for 44% of all greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, according to latest projections.

Road safety 08-02-2024

Fight over low-emission zones stalls EU negotiations on road safety

Est. 5min

A fight over the cross-border enforcement of low-emission zones is delaying an EU law that aims to facilitate cross-border enforcement of traffic offences, such as driving the wrong way and dangerous overtaking, to improve road safety.

31-01-2024

Car emissions 14% higher than advertised by manufacturers, study finds

Est. 4min

The gap between official and real-world car emissions has grown by 80% in the past five years, despite advanced testing procedures in place to prevent such a discrepancy, a new study has found.

24-01-2024

Most cars on EU roads emit same carbon levels as 12 years ago: report

Est. 5min

EU regulation failed to meaningfully reduce the level of carbon emissions from combustion engine vehicles over the last 12 years, making the uptake of zero-emission vehicles imperative to the bloc’s climate goals, a new audit has found.

Politics 22-01-2024

Bulgaria, Greece seeks funds from EU, NATO to build key roads

Est. 3min

Bulgaria and Greece will seek funding from all possible international sources, including the EU and NATO, to improve transport connections between them, according to information provided to Euractiv Bulgaria by the government in Sofia.

Freight 18-01-2024

Deal reached to boost number of zero-emission trucks and buses on EU roads

Est. 5min

EU countries and the European Parliament reached an agreement on Thursday (18 January) on new rules tightening CO2 limits on heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), paving the way for a significant increase in the number of clean trucks and buses across the bloc.

Freight 18-01-2024

Will longer trucks harm Europe’s rail freight push?

Est. 5min

The road freight industry has challenged a study put forward by the rail sector which found that permitting heavier and longer trucks on EU roads will decrease the percentage of goods moved by trains, increasing emissions and raising societal costs.

Transport 17-01-2024

Polish truckers suspend Ukraine border blockade

Est. 3min

Polish truckers will suspend their longstanding blockade of the Ukrainian border following an agreement with the government, authorities said Tuesday (16 January), in a move that could resolve a source of friction between the allies.

Global Europe 15-01-2024

Truck drivers, farmers protest in Romania, block border with Ukraine

Est. 3min

Romanian truck drivers and farmers on Sunday (14 January) slowed traffic around several cities, including the capital Bucharest, voicing a string of grievances from high tax rates to slow compensation payouts.

11-01-2024

EU targets to suffer as consumers shun used electric vehicles

Est. 6min

The majority of European drivers purchasing a used car are foregoing second-hand electric vehicles (EVs) in favour of their combustion engine equivalent, car dealers suggest - a development set to undermine the EU goal of cutting road transport emissions.

Electric vehicles 11-01-2024

2024-2029: Five years to deliver the Green Deal’s mobility promises

Est. 5min

The upcoming EU Elections are the opportunity to debate and design the framework to make the electromobility transition a success for climate, people and businesses, write Celine Domecq and Julia Poliscanova.

21-12-2023

Rethinking the EU’s regulatory approach in the auto sector

Est. 4min

The immense scale of transformation underway in the automotive sector should give Europe cause to rethink how it regulates in the interest of both consumers and the competitiveness of its industry, argues Sigrid de Vries.

Europe's East 19-12-2023

Polish truckers resume blockade of key Ukraine checkpoint

Est. 2min

Polish hauliers on Monday (18 December) resumed their blockade of the largest freight border crossing with Ukraine following a court order that allowed the truckers to go back to the Dorohusk checkpoint.

18-12-2023

Cars spared from tighter exhaust standards under Euro 7 deal

Est. 5min

A deal was reached between the European Parliament and Council on Monday (18 December) on new rules to tighten pollution standards for cars and trucks, with the text primarily focused on reining in pollution from brakes and tyres.

15-12-2023

EU should be wary of calls for a ‘regulatory pause’ in the transport sector

Est. 5min

Car makers have called for a regulatory pause following a deluge of legislation aimed at ensuring vehicles are in line with Europe's environmental targets. But agreeing to this would derail climate objectives and hurt consumers, writes Monique Goyens.

12-12-2023

To unions’ dismay, EU Parliament backs new rules on tour bus driver breaks

Est. 5min

The European Parliament agreed its stance on new rules defining the minimum rest periods for tour bus drivers on Tuesday (12 December), earning applause from industry and criticism from workers’ groups.

Future of mobility 08-12-2023

What previous failures tell us about Europe’s green steel ambitions

Est. 5min

While Europe has neither the cash bazooka of the United States Inflation Reduction Act, nor the state capitalism of China, the automotive industry can be the lead market to boost Europe’s green steel plans, writes Julia Poliscanova of Transport & Environment.