Statement on the CO2 Standards ahead of the Strategic Dialogue with automotive industry
Statement
European clean transport industries urge EU to
stay the course on 2035 zero-emission car target
The members of the Platform for Electromobility reaffirm their strong support for the 2035 zero-emission targets for cars and vans, as adopted in 2023, ahead of the Strategic Dialogue with the automotive industry of the 12 September 2025 which might cover this legislation. We call for their persistent, robust and timely implementation for both Europe’s competitiveness in global competition and Europeans’ access to clean transport solutions.
Electrification is a global race. Europe cannot afford to fall behind. A clear and consistent regulatory path is vital to maintaining the competitiveness of Europe’s automotive industry and whole electromobility value chain, ensuring its ability to export high-value, future-proof technologies in a rapidly evolving global market.
A stable and effective regulatory framework is essential.
Europe’s clean tech industrial development needs long-term legal certainty. The current CO₂ Standards for cars and vans are not only instrumental in driving down emissions in line with climate targets, they also represent a cornerstone of the EU’s industrial policy. Stability in legislation is key to attract investment in the scale-up of clean technologies, the creation and expansion of manufacturing capacity, and the reskilling and upskilling of Europe’s workforce. Let’s not send a counterproductive signal to markets and investors at a critical time for Europe’s competitiveness.
Building a zero-emission transport system will require smart and diversified use of multiple transport modes. An unstable regulatory framework hampers long-term investment in multimodal solutions and infrastructure. Clear and ambitious targets provide certainty for investors and industry, helping the automotive and e-mobility value chain to plan ahead, scale production, and remain globally competitive while the transition to clean transport is accelerating worldwide.
BEVs are the driver of efficient and competitive decarbonisation.
Electric vehicles are the most energy-efficient individual transport mode. Energy efficiency in transport should be a central pillar of the EU’s energy transition, as it strengthens energy security, cuts costs for businesses and citizens, and reduces pressure on renewable energy deployment compared to alternative fuels solutions.
We strongly urge European lawmakers to reject the introduction of alternative fuels for cars and vans due to their inefficiency, high costs, and negative impact on industrial competitiveness, consumer protection, and air quality.
Let’s stay focused on the enablers of electrification.
Today, European policy should focus on the key drivers of electrification, rather than weakening existing legislation. These include: an ambitious Clean Corporate Fleet Regulation to be proposed later this year, which can further stimulate demand and set clear signals to the market; the implementation of AFIR as a key enablers for EV uptake for European consumers the mobilisation of EU funds to finance demand-side support mechanisms in Member States; coordination between automotive and energy sectors; and a broader policy framework to ensure affordable and clean energy for industries and consumers alike. On the production side, fostering innovation through smart regulation streamlining and setting the conditions to produce in Europe efficient and affordable EVs (such as by incentivising battery cells/modules made in Europe by rewarding each kWh produced) is key to powering the continent’s EV shift.
We trust that the Strategic Dialogue will serve to reinforce confidence in the EU’s regulatory direction and to support the full deployment of zero-emission mobility across the Union. The Dialogue is an opportunity to solve the genuine challenges our members face on the road to the 2035 target and to explore how to best seize the opportunities it offers.
“The Platform for Electromobility’s call is clear: stop disrupting investments by creating uncertainty and focus on the enabling conditions for industrial leadership along the e-mobility ecosystem to allow European clean tech industries to prosper – such as batteries. A stable regulatory framework is essential, as are concrete effective actions to support Europe’s electromobility value chain."
— Kinga Timaru-Kast, Chair of the Platform for Electromobility
Press release on EPBD
Platform for Electro-Mobility reaction to Council position on EPBD
EU ministers have agreed on a common approach to the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). The European Commission’s legislative proposal for the EPBD introduced obligations for EU countries to ensure adequate and future-proof pre-equipping of buildings for electric vehicle (EV) recharging points.
These obligations have, however, encountered strong resistance from EU Member States due to concerns over costs and potential negative impacts on renovation incentives, and have as a result been watered down. While this lowered level of ambition is regrettable, core elements remain in place and it will now be up to the European Parliament to strengthen these as it gets closer to finalising its own position.
A spokesperson for the Platform for Electro-Mobility said: “Pre-equipping buildings for the installation of smart EV charging points is crucial to satisfy EV charging needs and foster the wider uptake of electro-mobility. In fact, 90% of the electricity charged by an EV during its lifetime actually takes place in the private domain.”
The ability of charging infrastructure to control the charging process is crucial for integrating high numbers of EVs into the electricity system and contributes to optimising the energy use of buildings. Therefore, the directive should require the installation of smart charging points, which should be considered part of the building's technical equipment and included in the ‘smartness indicator’.
When it comes to non-residential buildings, the Council compromise text retains the obligation for new and substantially renovated buildings with more than 10 parking spaces to install at least one recharging point, together with ducting infrastructure [1] for at least one in every three parking spaces.
Ducting infrastructure is a future-proof and cost-effective solution, the installation cost of which is minimal as compared to the total cost of constructing or renovating a building. By comparison, failure to ensure ducting infrastructure would entail costs up to nine times higher if a building is to be retrofitted at a later stage. In light of this, the Platform for Electro-Mobility supports an extension of ducting infrastructure requirements to all parking spaces, which has already been taken on board by Council in the case of residential buildings.
On a more positive note, the Platform acknowledges the Council’s insertion of obligations to facilitate deployment of recharging points in existing buildings. Today, long and uncertain approval procedures act as a major barrier for owners and tenants to deploy charging points in shared residential and commercial buildings. If these hurdles are not removed, putting in place ducting infrastructure cannot have its full positive impact. Such ‘right to the plug’ measures have already been successfully implemented in various EU countries including Spain, France, and Portugal.
The spokesperson concluded: “All eyes now turn to the European Parliament, which is set to agree its final position in November before entering negotiations with governments and the European Commission. Strengthening this directive offers a once-in-a-decade opportunity to ensure European buildings’ readiness for the mobility needs of tomorrow.”
The Platform for Electro-Mobility is an alliance of organisations from across industries and transport modes representing manufacturers, infrastructure managers, operators and users of all types of vehicles as well as cities, civil society and other stakeholders. It shares a vision of electro-mobility for surface transport delivered through multiple modes including electric bikes, cars and vans, trucks, buses, rail and other public transport. The Platform has been created to drive forward this transformation.
Note to editors:
[1] Also referred to as ‘pre-tubing’ or ‘conduits’ to enable the later installation of EV recharging points.