Regulation 2024/1610 - Amendment of Regulation (EU) 2019/1242 as regards strengthening the CO2 emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles and integrating reporting obligations - Main contents

Official Journal

of the European Union

EN

L series

2024/1610

6.6.2024

Tackling climate and environment-related challenges and reaching the objectives of the Paris Agreement (3), adopted on 12 December 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), are at the core of the Commission’s communication of 11 December 2019 on the ‘European Green Deal’. The necessity and value of the European Green Deal have only grown in light of the very severe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and economic well-being of the Union’s citizens and of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

The European Green Deal combines a comprehensive set of mutually reinforcing measures and initiatives which aim to achieve climate neutrality in the Union by 2050, and sets out a new growth strategy that aims to transform the Union into a fair and prosperous society with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. It also aims to protect, conserve and enhance the Union’s natural capital, and protect the health and well-being of citizens from environment-related risks and impacts. At the same time, that transition affects women and men differently and has a particular impact on some disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, such as low-income households and persons, older people, persons with disabilities and persons with a minority racial or ethnic background. It must therefore be ensured that the transition is just and inclusive, leaving no one behind.

Following the adoption by the European Parliament and the Council of essential elements of the ‘Fit for 55’ legislative package, as proposed by the Commission in July 2021, the Union submitted in October 2023 an updated nationally determined contribution (NDC) of the Union and its Member States to the UNFCCC, confirming that the Union will cut its net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

Through the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4), the Union has enshrined in a Union legislative act the objective of economy-wide climate neutrality within the Union at the latest by 2050 and the aim of achieving negative emissions thereafter. Moreover, that Regulation establishes a binding Union domestic reduction target for net greenhouse gas emissions (emissions after deduction of removals) of at least 55 % compared to 1990 levels by 2030. It also sets the framework for the establishment of intermediate Union climate targets and for the publication of the projected indicative Union greenhouse gas budget for the 2030-2050 period.

All sectors of the economy are expected to contribute to achieving those emission reductions, including the road transport sector. In its communication of 9 December 2020 on ‘Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy — putting European transport on track...