Publication Archive

 

 

This archive contains all documents published by cep over the last few years:

cepAdhoc: Incisive comment on current EU policy issues

cepPolicyBrief: Concise reviews of EU proposals (Regulations, Directives, Green Papers, White Papers, Communications) – including an executive summary

cepInput: Impulse to current challenges of EU policies

cepStudy: Comprehensive examination of EU policy proposals affecting the economy

 

 

2014

The European Commission wants to promote the penetration of the market by vehicles using alternative fuels by extending the network of both refuelling points for alternative fuels and electricity recharging points. For this purpose, the refuelling and electricity recharging infrastructure is to be standardised EU-wide and every Member States will be required to have a specific minimum number of electricity recharging points for electric vehicles by 2020.

2014

In order to increase competition in the rail transport sector the European Commission proposes to open the market for domestic passenger transport services by rail and provide for a more strict separation between infrastructure managers and railway undertakings. For this, infrastructure managers and railway undertakings must be fundamentally legally distinct. Infrastructure managers that are part of a vertically integrated undertaking (VIU), when the proposed amendment comes into force, may, under strict conditions, be exempt from this requirement of institutional separation.

2014

The Commission proposes a “major and rapid transformation” in the EU’s external aviation policy in order to strengthen the international competitiveness of European airlines, create benefits for consumers and improve public safety and environmental protection. To this end it proposes amongst other things to agree at ICAO level on a global system for CO2 emissions from air transport and to conclude agreements between the EU and third countries on the liberalisation of the national regulations on ownership and control of airlines.

2014

In order to reduce CO2 emissions in the transport sector, the EU introduced CO2 thresholds for new passenger cars. These thresholds will be tightened to 95 grams CO2 per kilometre as of 2020. Now the Commission proposes measures in order to achieve the CO2 targets valid as of 2020 for a manufacturer’s passenger car fleet as neutral as possible from the point of view of competition. For this purpose the formula determining the specific CO2 emissions for manufacturers shall be modified and benefits for passenger cars with particularly low CO2 emissions shall be reduced.

2014

Motor vehicles for the commercial use of goods and passengers and their trailers are not only inspected regularly but due to their intense use inspected also randomly and unexpectedly on public roads (“roadside inspections”) in order to be able to assess their compliance with technical rules and environmental requirements at any time. Now the Commission wishes to harmonise and strengthen the existing rules (Directive 2000/30/EC) in order to enhance transport safety and to improve environmental protection.

2014

Motor vehicles and their trailers (vehicles) must, after having been registered for the first time, be regularly submitted to periodic roadworthiness tests in order to ensure that vehicles on the road remain roadworthy and safe. The Commission now wishes to harmonise and tighten the existing test requirements in order to increase traffic safety and to improve environmental protection.

2014

In lack of EU rules on the application of national road infrastructure charges levied on light private vehicles, Member States are free to introduce national vignette and toll systems. The Commission wishes to clarify by means of guidelines how Member States could shape their vignette systems for light private vehicles to be in line with EU law. It calls, in particular, for the introduction of short-term vignettes to prevent the discrimination against drivers from other Member States.

2014

If a motor vehicle is already registered in a Member State, e.g. cross-border workers or car-rental companies are obliged to register it again in the Member State in which the motor vehicle is used. Now, the Commission proposes to determine the Member State in which a motor vehicle must be registered, to shorten the re-registration procedures and to simplify the data exchange between national registration authorities.

2014

Motor vehicles and their exhaust systems are subject to an EU-wide type-approval procedure which, among other things, prescribes noise emission limits and a uniform test method. The existing test method is to be replaced, since according to the Commission the test procedure does not reflect real world driving behaviour. At the same time it wishes to lower the noise limit values in order to ensure a high level of environmental protection and public safety.

2014

According to the “balanced approach” of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), noise abatement around airports is to be achieved by selecting the “most cost-effective range of measures”. The Commission’s Regulation Proposal serves to improve coherence both within the EU and also with ICAO requirements to introduce noise-related operating restrictions.