Published on 09/07/2026
Position Paper on the Automotive Package
FuelsEurope believes the decarbonisation of road transport (LDVs, HDVs and corporate fleets) should be technologically neutral and recognise the role of sustainable fuels alongside electrification. But how can fuel and vehicle technologies contribute to abate road transport emissions? The right answer surely is to see all of these technologies as complementary, not in competition.
The economic and scientific logic behind the use of sustainable fuels in road transport is growing more compelling. To ensure all breakthrough technologies are truly empowered to decarbonise the European road transport system, legislators should consider the following policy recommendations across CO₂ Standards for light-duty vehicles revision and Clean Corporate Vehicles:
- Recognition of Vehicles Exclusively running on Eligible Fuels (VEEFs) as zero emission in the CO₂ Standards, through a dedicated vehicle classification supported by robust monitoring and certification methodologies.
- Broader pool of eligible fuels. Extend the scope of eligible fuels defined under Article 5a of the CO₂ Standards for light-duty vehicles revision to all RED-compliant sustainable fuels, for both VEEFs and fuel credits mechanism.
- Sustainable fuels should be credited with a zero-emission factor, as the CO₂ they emit during the use phase is circular (biogenic, absorbed from the atmosphere) and does not increase the CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere.
- Improve the fuel credits mechanism by removing the 3% cap and the 1% sub-cap for Annex IX Part B biofuels. Their contribution should purely reflect market reality, without being subject to a 10% ceiling.
- Enable early deployment and allow eligible fuels to contribute to road decarbonisation from the entry into force of the revised Regulation.
- Balanced approach in the Clean Corporate Vehicles initiative, where the contribution of sustainable fuels is aligned and consistent with the CO₂ Standards for light-duty vehicles revision.
You may refer to Annexes I and II, which further substantiate our position on the revision of the CO₂ standards for light-duty vehicles and the Clean Corporate Vehicles initiative.
