The legislative process will continue at least until next autumn, the debate around the proposal to revise the Regulation for CO2 emissions in the automotive sector presented last December comes to life and intersects the positions of the various political components of the European Parliament and the countries of the Union. All in a context in which geopolitics weighs like never before and European manufacturing companies, Stellantis in the lead, are moving on the Asian scene.
Representing the position of the Italian Government and a large part of the automotive component industry is the proposal signed by Forza Italia MEP Massimiliano Salini, appointed rapporteur of the European Parliament for the revision of the Regulation on Co2 standards. There are several main points in the proposed revision, which “promises” to straighten out the European Commission’s initial proposal in favor of a technological neutrality that has always been invoked.
The 90% emissions reduction target by 2035, the text suggests, must be unconditional – in the initial proposal the cut was in any case conditional on the use of green steel, for example, with the Fuels credit and Steel Credit system -. Furthermore, the proposal separates the car sector from that of commercial transport and revises the targets for vans: -30% to 2030 and -80% to 2035, also in this case without further conditions.
«Fundamental in the proposal – underlines the president of Anfia Roberto Vavassori – is the possibility of differentiating the targets between cars and light commercial vehicles, extending the verification times from three to five years, and eliminating the conditionalities linked to cutting emissions». It is clear, adds Vavassori, «that all this is accompanied by a coherent measure on the topic of Utility factor for Plug-ins, which otherwise, in light of the penalizing mechanism envisaged by the Commission, risks undermining the possibility of these engines representing valid transition technologies».
According to the proposed amendment, the internal combustion engine could be put back on track by introducing a new category powered 100% by renewable fuels (VEEF) and considered zero emissions. An important game is being played around this family of fuels not only for the automotive industry but also for chemistry. This is an important step, which finds favor with producer associations, such as Assogasliquidi or Unem, and on which an important industrial game for Italy is being played, as demonstrated by Eni’s reconversion projects.
