Commission welcomes the provisional agreement on cleaner and safer heavy goods vehicles

[:en]

Yesterday, the European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the European Commission’s proposal for a directive amending Directive 96/53/EC on weights and dimensions of heavy goods vehicles.

It is part of the third and final ‘Europe on the Move’ package that includes a set of actions to reduce CO2 emissions and to make European transport safer. Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc welcomed the agreement: “The provisional agreement reached by the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission within a very short time shows the importance of this file. We are reducing significantly the time before which new cabins, which are more aerodynamic, safer and more comfortable, can enter the market. Each year, these cabins will save 300-500 lives and up to 10% of emissions from long-haul trucks.”The agreement concerns the implementation of special rules concerning cabs delivering improved aerodynamic performance, energy efficiency and safety performance. New types of lorries could start to circulate the roads from 1 September 2020. This will contribute to climate saving efforts and towards vision zero on road fatalities.

[:]