The Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy opens the way to multiple solutions, including low-carbon fuels, for a sustainable and affordable transport sector leaving nobody behind

The Strategy offers an inspiring vision: transport must decarbonise and improve its sustainability in line with the 2050 climate neutrality target, while mobility remains available and affordable in all regions of the EU and citizens are offered a free choice. Along with electrification and hydrogen, the Strategy outlines the key role of sustainable renewable and low-carbon fuels especially for air and maritime transport, but also for use in road transport during the sustainable transition.

In this context, FuelsEurope warmly welcomes and is ready to participate in the Renewable and Low Carbon Fuels Value Chain Alliance proposed in the Strategy, aimed at boosting the supply and deployment of the most promising sustainable transport fuels. We believe that road transport is key for the development at scale of low-carbon fuels, due to the size of the market and to the already high carbon price signal. Moreover, thanks to the current widespread availability of infrastructures for (especially liquid) fuels, the societal cost of the transition to electromobility will be smoothed and the GHG emissions of the existing vehicle fleet progressively reduced. Once manufacturing of low-carbon fuels will reduce their cost as a result of economies of scale, their use in aviation and maritime will be efficient and seamless.

We also think that the concept of “zero-emission vehicle” should be expanded through the inclusion of the contribution of low and zero-carbon fuels.

A vehicle with a life-long supply of net-zero CO2 fuel can and should be considered “ZEV” in the same way as a Battery Electric Vehicle is. This would in turn open the access to the supporting schemes offered today to BEV at EU, national and local level, affording a true choice of mobility to citizens and stimulating the offer of low-carbon fuels, in lower-cost, highly efficient and clean ICE/hybrid vehicles.
FuelsEurope also welcomes the support given by the Strategy to the international approach on global businesses like aviation and maritime transport, and in particular the need for the EU to continue working closely with all international organisations, such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

FuelsEurope and its members fully support the EU climate objectives and therefore agree that transport fuels must become carbon-neutral, and must be deployed on a large scale without delay. For this to happen, the regulatory framework for fuels and transport must provide the conditions for massive investments to occur in sustainable low-carbon technologies like advanced biofuels, waste-to-fuel and e-fuels. The upcoming Commission’s proposals on Aviation and Marine fuels, the revision of the CO2 standards in cars and vans, of the Renewable Energy Directive, of the Energy Taxation Directive and other relevant pieces of legislation, offer a unique opportunity and FuelsEurope is fully ready to contribute.