T&E's take on the EU Transport Commissioner's hearing

The EU’s Transport Commissioner-designate told a confirmation hearing on Monday that e-mobility is the future and that further supporting the automotive industry – not weakening EU targets – would be key to getting there.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Greece’s nominee, defended Green Deal measures for cars, trucks, planes and ships, as well as plans to make rail more attractive. However, despite his expressions of support, his remarks lacked detail on what he would do to advance each – particularly the greening of corporate cars.

“Commissioner-designate Tzitzikostas talked a good game about cleaning up Europe's top polluter, transport,” said William Todts, executive director of T&E. “He showed commitment to e-mobility, scaling clean fuels for aviation and shipping, and solving rail ticketing. But he said very little about what exactly he would do when appointed Commissioner. His repeated refusal to commit to a much anticipated EU law to electrify corporate car fleets was bewildering.”

Cars and fleets

Mr Tzitzikostas, an EPP member, repeatedly said the EU needs to stick to the 2035 clean cars target. He also spoke against weakening the 2025 target and promised a plan to help Europe’s car industry transition to e-mobility. But there was no detail forthcoming on the clean industrial plan for the automotive sector.

The Commissioner-designate expressed support for a planned EU initiative to green corporate vehicle fleets. However, after being quizzed multiple times by MEPs, Mr Tzitzikostas said it was too early to decide if it would be based on targets, incentives or other measures – and whether it would be a legislative proposal. T&E said a law is needed to provide clarity for fleet owners, consumers and ride-hailing companies. It would also benefit carmakers, which complain about lack of demand for EVs.

Aviation

Mr Tzitzikostas clearly committed to green fuels as the main pathway to decarbonise aviation. T&E said the nominee’s commitment to a Sustainable Transport Investment Plan to boost clean fuel production will be an important step, but there is a lack of detail on how it would be financed, and how it would prioritise e-kerosene, not biofuels.

The candidate commissioner said he did not think the EU should move to a ‘book and claim’ system for fuel suppliers to comply with clean fuel targets for aviation. ‘Book and claim’ would allow operators to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) even if it is not available in their re-fuel location. He warned that SAF certificates can be vulnerable to fraud or double counting.

However, non-CO2 emissions of aviation was the big missing topic of the evening. T&E called on Mr Tzitzikostas to introduce an action plan to eliminate warming contrails in the next decade.

Maritime

Mr Tzitzikostas said he would support the production and affordability of green fuels for shipping, again through the new Sustainable transport Investment Plan, the scope of which would be addressed later. T&E said that while it is good that Mr Tzitzikostas stressed the role of ports as energy hubs for the energy transition, his remarks were short on the substance and specific measures that need to be proposed soon.

Rail

The nominee also spoke passionately about boosting the use of rail by establishing a single ticket and booking system for cross border train journeys. The system, which will finally allow rail travellers to do what is standard with airlines, would be proposed as legislation in 2025, he said. But when pushed the Commissioner-designate did not commit to requiring rail operators to share data with independent booking platforms so that they can sell tickets themselves.