The head of the European Environment Agency says transport trends are still 'pointing in the wrong direction'. She was speaking as the EEA issued a report saying greenhouse gas emissions from transport in the EU have increased by 36% from 1990-2006.
The transport commissioner Antonio Tajani says there will be no EU legislation allowing long-length lorries – often referred to as 'megatrucks' or 'gigaliners' – until at least next year.
Legislation to force the largest filling stations to fit vapour recovery technology moved a step closer, when the European Parliament's environment committee approved a Commission proposal.
The Commission has opened a new laboratory to test fuel consumption and emissions from lorries and buses in more realistic conditions than are used in general 'type approval' tests.
Tyre and vehicle retailers will have to provide customers with detailed information on the energy efficiency, safety and noise performance of tyres following a vote in the European Parliament's industry committee today.
The principle of charging heavy vehicles for the ‘external costs’ they cause has been approved by MEPs in their response to the Commission’s proposed revision of the Eurovignette directive, but confusion still surrounds details of how member states can charge for the costs of congestion.
The Commission has threatened legal action against Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal for failing to put EU legislation on road charging into their national laws.
The introduction of road vehicle tyres that are safer, quieter and save money though lower fuel costs, have been delayed by up to fourteen years following a vote today in the European Parliament.
An informal political agreement has been reached on Europe's first energy efficiency and noise standards for car and lorry tyres.
