T&E’s alternative Mission letter to candidate Commissioner Tzitzikostas

Dear Mr. Tzitzikostas,

Transport is the biggest source of climate pollution in the EU and the only sector where emissions have increased since 1990. Europe imports 97.7% of its oil at a cost €300 billion a year. This must change. That is why I have decided to appoint you as the EU’s first ever Sustainable Transport Commissioner.

As Sustainable Transport Commissioner you will lead the transition to a competitive, circular and zero-emission mobility system.

Your objectives are to:

• Cut transport CO2 emissions and oil demand by 31% by 2030.

• Increase the share of road electrification from 0.3% today to 8% by 2030.

• Increase the share of e-fuels in shipping and aviation from 0% to 2% by 2030.

I believe transport, as Europe’s top source of climate pollution, is critical to a clean, just and competitive transition. So I have decided you should work under the guidance of the Executive Vice President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera.

Specifically, I would like you to:

• Champion electrification: this Commission believes electrification is the best, cheapest and most energy secure way to decarbonise and revitalize our economy. You will take action to boost demand for the zero-emission vehicles our industry produces in European factories. In your new role as Commissioner, and within the first 100 days of your mandate, you will put forward a legislative proposal to fully electrify large company car and truck fleets.

• Oversee the swift build up of charging infrastructure: huge progress has been made with the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) boosting the number of chargers all across Europe. To help the vehicle industry achieve their electrification goals, you will propose ambitious new targets in 2026. You will expand AFIF - the EU fund associated with AFIR - with more money for trucks and onshore power for ships. Because 99% of zero-emission vehicle sales in Europe are battery electric, we will halt funding to hydrogen vehicles.

• Modernise Europe’s railways: I am shocked that in 2024 Europeans are still unable to seamlessly book cross-border trains. It is a sign of how much needs to change in the railway industry. You will take action against monopoly practices, enable easy ticketing, boost conventional international rail connections, and invest our limited funds in the best “bang for the buck” rail projects. Completion of the existing TEN-T core network should be the focus, not a new high speed rail masterplan.

• You will help the aviation industry rapidly reduce contrail pollution. You will propose jet fuel quality standards that reduce particle emissions around airports and climate warming contrails at high altitude. You will champion bilateral collaboration on contrail avoidance, prioritizing joint action with the USA, working closely with the climate Commissioner.

• You will work with the Energy and Climate Commissioners to develop an e-fuel investment strategy for aviation and shipping, supporting these industries in their transition towards cleaner fuels, updating RefuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime in line with the Commission’s -90% climate target, including for vessels that are currently exempt from the FF55 legislation. You will ensure that energy transitions in aviation and maritime are aligned with the industrial strategy, supported by the European Innovation Fund and Hydrogen Bank, for clean e-fuels and work with member states to ensure generous national co-funding for these fuels from their EU ETS revenues.

• Decarbonisation must be at the heart of your industrial maritime and ports strategy. Currently, ports are major fossil industrial hubs. But they have the potential to become green manufacturing hubs and lie at the heart of the development of green e-fuels for shipping. To ensure this happens, you will collaborate closely with Commissioners for Growth, Energy and Climate.

• The infrastructure transport needs in the 21st century is energy and digital infrastructure. You will develop an integrated infrastructure investment plan, working closely with the energy and digital commissioners, spearheading a shift in funding towards energy and digital, both in the CEF fund, as well as the much larger cohesion envelope.

• Private jets are up to 14 times more polluting than commercial flights. You will propose legislation to ban the use of fossil fuel powered private jets in Europe. People rich enough to afford private jets should be able to afford climate neutral fuels. To the extent that Commissioners must fly private, we will lead by example.

• You will put an end to the trend of ever larger, heavier cars by proposing changes to the EU weights and dimensions law to limit the size of new cars put on the market in Europe, and work with the Vice President for Growth to end the imports of unsafe, polluting American pick-up trucks through the so-called Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) loophole.

• You will vigorously defend the EU, our legislative achievements and our climate plans in international bodies such as ICAO and the IMO. You will work tirelessly to achieve ambitious global climate measures at IMO, in particular to promote shipping efficiency, and to boost the uptake of sustainable zero and near-zero emission marine fuels. But you will also be clear to our global partners: the EU will only align with global legislation that is more ambitious and offers similar or better environmental safeguards.

Given the scale of the challenges and the many issues in our in-tray, we must hit the ground running on day one.