This joint statement was distributed by 21 undersigned associations, including EBB, representing the road transport value chain. Brussels, 27 February 2025 – We, the 21 undersigned associations, representing a broad value chain that is part of the road transport sector, welcome the Commission’s initiative to launch a Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the Automotive Industry. The decarbonisation of road transport requires fast political action covering short- and long-term adjustments. The current European legislative framework is causing missed opportunities for investment across automotive, manufacturers and energy suppliers.  The upcoming EU industrial action plan for the automotive sector should ensure that all technologies contributing to the decarbonisation of the transport sector are allowed to compete in the market on a level playing field and that measures to stimulate market uptake are proportional. We acknowledge with concern that the lack of technological neutrality in both regulations for light and heavy-duty vehicles constrains the choice of viable technologies to meet the CO2 reduction targets. Mario Draghi’s report on competitiveness highlights this and asks for a return to technology neutrality  in the automotive sector of the EU. Several complementary pathways for transport decarbonisation, including sustainable, low carbon and renewable fuels, are needed to achieve the EU objectives while minimising costs to our society. Purchasing mandates that could be imposed by legislation on fleet owners would contradict the market-driven principles of the EU. The focus instead should be on developing the enabling conditions for all green technologies. In the case of the CO2 standards regulations this means to allow above-mentioned fuels to complement electromobility: it will result in faster decarbonisation of the existing vehicle fleet and offer solutions for new vehicles in hard to electrify applications. In addition, such an approach will give choices to citizens and enterprises to affordably meet their mobility needs while contributing to decarbonisation. We therefore call for an anticipated revision of the CO2 standards regulations for vehicles to be done in a way that recognises the necessity of a technology open approach, including the contribution of sustainable, low-carbon and renewable fuels (biofuels, e-fuels and more in general, fuels compliant with the Renewable Energy Directive), towards OEM’s CO2 reduction targets. Vehicle technologies such as plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and range extenders should also be recognised as additional complements to electrification and allowed to contribute to the carbon emission reduction targets through the use of green electricity and renewable fuels in PHEVs. We believe the reviews of the CO2 performance standards should be brought forward by one year. Earlier investments in renewable fuels can then take place, leading to additional emissions savings. We should not lose time in order to achieve the objective of the Paris Agreement. Last but not least, we invite the Commission to include all stakeholders providing the aforementioned vehicle technologies and sustainable low-carbon and renewable fuels and commercial end-users of these technologies and fuels into the Strategic Dialogue as well as the upcoming Action Plan as part of the automotive ecosystem to discuss potential solutions and to focus on ensuring that the necessary enabling conditions are in place for an accelerated uptake of all decarbonisation technologies. We, the undersigned, urge the Commission to take into account the above-mentioned recommendations to protect European competitiveness, consumers’ choice and to allow sustainable low-carbon and renewable fuels to contribute to achieving the decarbonisation of the road sector. [ Download the statement ] Signatories:

• AECC – Association for Emissions Control and Climate
• BGL – Bundesverband Güterkraftverkehr Logistik und Entsorgung
• CLEPA – European Association of Automotive Suppliers
• EBA – European Biogas Association
• EBB – European Biodiesel Board
• ECFD – European Confederation of Fuel Distributors
• eFuel Alliance
• ePure – European Renewable Ethanol
• Eurogas
• EWABA – European Waste-based & Advanced Biofuels Association
• FCE – Fleet Cards Europe
• FinMobility
• Fuels Europe
• IRU – International Road Transport Union
• Liqid Gas Europe
• MVAK – Mittelstandsverband Abvallbasierte Kraftstoffe
• NBAA – Nederlandse Biodiesel uit Afval Alliantie
• UNITI – Bundesverband EnergieMittelstand
• UPEI – the Voice of Europe's Independent Fuel Suppliers
• VDMA – Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau
• VDB – Verband der Deutschen Biokraftstoffindustrie