Plans by the European Commission to allow oversized lorries – known as ‘megatrucks’ – on Europe’s roads through a ‘reinterpretation’ of existing legislation without formal discussion have run into a roadblock.
Of the seven EU countries to have a ‘vignette’ tax system for cars, Hungary has the best and Slovenia the worst. That’s the finding of a study for the Commission that has looked at the seven existing systems as it is soon to publish draft guidelines for governments on minimum standards for vignettes.
The Commission should make a meaningful proposal this year for the EU to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport. That is the message delivered by 15 NGOs to the EU climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard and five other commissioners in a letter dated 23 March, which specifically offers help in drawing up a proposal.
Differences are emerging between car makers and the suppliers of car parts over the EU’s efforts to fight climate change. While the car makers are continuing to oppose the EU’s proposed 2020 average carbon dioxide emissions limit of 95 grams per kilometre, the parts suppliers believe the target is easily achievable. The head of Europe’s umbrella organisation representing car parts suppliers has accused Germany’s car industry of ‘greed’ and ‘milking the cow dry’.
A group of noise expert has written to the Commission in order to encourage it to take tighten measures on traffic noise levels, especially vehicle noise, which have severe health impacts. They stressed the importance of having stricter standards on noise emissions in a very short time, as well as the rapidity with which vehicle producers can comply to them in a quite short time.
