Nine EU Member States have sent a collective message to the European Commission calling for an accelerated transition to zero-emission vehicles across EU countries.

The nine states involved are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands.

The transport sector accounts for roughly 25% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions and a transition to a sustainable transport sector is key if is to achieve its aim of climate-neutrality by 2050.

This has led to nine Member States coming together to encourage the Commission to implement more ambitious and cost-effective policies to increase and incentivise the adoption of zero-emission vehicles.

These include:

• A phase-out date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in the EU.
• EU legislation, which would allow Member States to implement national measures to phase-out petrol or diesel vehicles earlier than expected.
• Strengthening the carbon dioxide emissions performance standards for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
• Installing more charging and refuelling infrastructure for zero-emission vehicles across the EU.

Dan Jørgensen, Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, said: “In order to deliver on the increased EU 2030 climate target and to reach climate-neutrality by 2050, it is essential to ensure a shift towards a sustainable transport sector.

We have to accelerate the green transition of road transport and as legislators send clear signals to car manufacturers and consumers across the EU. To that end, I am delighted that we have managed to gather nine EU Member States to call on the European Commission to put forward ambitious and concrete policies to ensure the necessary transition to zero-emission vehicles.”