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IP/09/503
Brussels, 30 March 2009
Commission welcomes today's decision of the
Council to adopt a new Directive on clean vehicles
used by public authorities
Today, the Council of Ministers adopted a new Directive promoting clean and
energy efficient road transport vehicles that are in use by public authorities.
The Directive aims to stimulate the market for clean and efficient vehicles
and to prompt developments and investments by the industry. Increased
sales will help reduce costs through economies of scale and will result in
progressive improvement in the energy and environmental performance of
the whole vehicle fleet. The new measures extend to all purchases of road
transport vehicles by public authorities or by transport operators charged
with public service obligations.
The Directive requires that energy and environmental impacts linked to the operation
of vehicles over their whole lifetime are taken into account in purchase decisions.
These lifetime impacts of vehicles shall include at least energy consumption, CO2
emissions and emissions of the regulated pollutants of NOx (nitrogen oxide), NMHC
(non-methane hydrocarbons) and particulate matter. Purchasers may also consider
other environmental impacts.
Taking into account these "external" costs in vehicle purchase decisions will
contribute to the environment, climate and energy policies of the Community by
reducing energy consumption, CO2 and pollutant emissions.
Two options are offered to meet the requirements: setting technical specifications for
energy and environmental performance, or including energy and environmental
impacts as award criteria in the purchasing procedure.
If the impacts are monetised for inclusion in the purchasing decision, common rules
shall be followed, as defined in the Directive, for calculating the lifetime costs linked
to the operation of vehicles.
To facilitate the implementation process, the Commission has launched today an
internet site on clean and energy efficient vehicles. It includes a legislation guide, a
lifetime calculator, information on joint procurement and references to Community
funded projects in the field.
For more information:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/urban/vehicles/clean_energy_efficient_vehicles_en.htm