The European Expert Group on Future Transport Fuels has published at the end of 2011 its second report: Infrastructure for Alternative Fuels. EHA and HyER have taken part in the Group and have participated in its activities. The Report explains, Transitions in fuel supply infrastructure and vehicles will be needed for all new transport fuels.
Running until 2013, the programme is open to all EU Member States, plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. A budget of € 730 million is available to fund projects and put into place a range of European portals, facilities and initiatives. In 2012, there will be € 67 million available for funding.
Important changes are expected in the global automotive industry in several areas that are likely to profoundly reshape the industry and its markets worldwide. The European Commission relaunched the CARS 21 High Level Group in 2010 in order to explore these changes and challenges as part of a ”European strategy on clean and energy-efficient vehicles”, adopted on 28th April 2010. The Group published on December 2nd 2011, the Interim report on the on “The Competitiveness and Sustainable Growth of the Automotive Industry in the European Union”. The report, which covers the group’s consensus on a number of selected topics discussed so far. Some may be further elaborated and further topics will be added in the rest of the CARS 21 process, leading to the adoption of the Final Report. The texts calls for ”preparing the launch of a specific major initiative on breakthrough technologies (including, among others, electrification of combustion engines, hybrid and electric vehicles, fuel cells, electrical and electronic systems), taking into account the possible development of the European Innovation Partnerships on Smart Mobility and Smart cities and other relevant initiatives.” As part of the Commission’s modern industrial policy, the CARS 21 (Competitive Automotive Regulatory System for the 21st century) process, which was initially launched in 2005, aims to [...]
The Trans-European Energy Networks 2012 call for proposals is open with the deadline for submission 29/02/2012.
High-level stakeholders will meet for the “Energy Roadmap 2050″, Milestones on the road to 2050, Designing next steps for a decarbonised, competitive and secure EU energy system. The purpose of the conference is to identify common ground and share new perspectives on: How to seize the geostrategic and growth opportunities of the transition to a low carbon energy system, while avoiding pitfalls on the way The concrete EU energy policies that should be developed to move towards 2030, specifically in the fields of energy efficiency, energy infrastructure, market design and investment incentives to promote specific energy technology paths, for example with a high share of renewables The immediate and next steps for the EU – including the assessment of potential benefits of milestones for energy in 2030 For more information on the Danish Presidency see: EU2012.dk, For the presidency’s agenda see: EU2012 priorities
December 14-15 2011 the European Parliament debated and voted in favor of the Report on the Roadmap to a single European Transport Area, submitted by the Member of the European Parliament Matthie Grosch. Significant points of the report included a reference to promote environmentally friendly transport and double the users of public transport in European Member States. Member states are suggested under the report to submit proposals by 2013 for initiatives that promoted environmentally friendly transport with the aim of doubling the users of public transport. The report explains, ”there is an acute need to take action in towns, as the population in conurbations is increasing, which will lead to increasing traffic, noise and air pollution. For this reason, mobility plans will also have to provide for increased infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists and lead to the doubling of the number of public transport users. Bus and tram transport in particular can significantly contribute to efficient co-modality in urban, suburban and regional transport, provided that the requisite infrastructure is adapted or made available.” See: Report
EU energy ministers reiterated their opposition to binding energy savings targets at a meeting on 24 November, leaving a political agreement for the incoming Danish presidency in the first half of 2012. Poland, which currently holds the six-month rotating EU presidency, presented a progress report on the draft energy efficiency directive at a meeting of the Energy Council this month. The report included amendments pushed by member states requiring more “flexibility” in achieving the proposed targets. Most EU member states “are not convinced of the approach and request flexibility to design schemes best suited for their circumstances,” the Polish presidency said, after holding consultations with all national delegations. Member states were invited to present their positions but no extensive discussion was held at the meeting as views remain far apart. “If there will be a discussion, then it will be at a political level,” Polish presidency sources told EurActiv. Moves towards a political compromise are expected to start only as of 2012. “We expect the talks with the European Parliament to start during the Danish presidency,” a Polish presidency source said. The progress report centred around the three targets contained in the draft energy efficiency directive: A national obligation for energy [...]
The TEN-T Days 2011 “Connecting Europe: Putting Europe’s economy on the move” will be hosted by the European Commission in Antwerp, Belgium on November 29 and 30th 2011. The conference will allow Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, Ministers, Members of the European Parliament and stakeholders to discuss and start preparing for the new TEN-T framework and instruments proposed by the Commission in October 2011 in the TEN-T Guidelines and the Connecting Europe Facility Regulations. Commissioner Siim Kallas will be present to launch the event and present a few words on the TEN-T program and the Connecting Europe Facility. Each following session will be moderated by key European Commission Officials titled “Planning, regulating, funding: a policy framework for European infrastructure policy”, “Implementing the core network:the core network corridors”, and “Transport: a growth engine for Europe”. They will discuss how the new planning framework and the increase of robust implementation tools will ensure that common efforts to focus on infrastructure will be of the highest EU ‘added value’. They will also examine how the new financial instruments can be mobilised more effectively as part of a consistent strategy that pulls together EU and national, public and private funding and financing. Parallel workshops will take place throughout both days with different [...]
The European Commission has presented an €80 billion package for research and innovation funding, as part of the drive to create sustainable growth and new jobs in Europe. The new programme, “Horizon 2020″ will make it easier for applicants to seek funding and is designed to help bring more good ideas to market.
Environment Commissioner Janez Poto?nik wants 2013 to be the “Year of Air” and is pushing for stronger air quality laws across the European Union. But with many member states failing to enforce current rules, the commissioner could face an uphill battle. The European Commission has begun a comprehensive review of existing laws that could lead within a year to changes in the 2008 air quality directive. The directive is credited, along with a host of other pollution-related laws, in steady improvements in air quality since the EU started setting standards in the 1990s. Still, major challenges lie ahead. Levels of some noxious pollutants are on the rise after a decade of declines, and a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows that more than 95% of city residents in the European Union regularly breathe ozone levels that exceed the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended levels. “It’s very clear we’ve been able to reduce emissions but that those emissions have not translated into ambient air quality,” Jacqueline McGlade, who heads the Copenhagen-based EEA, said recently in Brussels. “We have in Europe put in place fairly aggressive targets to reduce emissions,” she said, “but actually what we now understand is that [...]