The EU Commissioner designate for a European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans,  on October 8, 2019 outlined his views on increasing CO2 reductions to 50-55% CO2 by 2030 and an € 1 trillion Climate Green Deal budget. He announced that, within 100 days, a climate law will be proposed, to enshrine the 2050 carbon neutrality objective, deliver on higher ambition for 2030 and update existing climate legislation. He also said emission cuts are needed in the aviation and maritime sectors and that the scope of the European Emission Trading System (ETS) should be broadened. He called for a large reforestation project across Europe, and mentioned the possibility of a carbon border tax. Circular economy policies should also be extended to the textile and construction sectors, according to an EU Parliaments press release. 

A day later on October 9 2019 the EU Commission, DG Growth, in cooperation with Hydrogen Europe presented eight potential Important Projects of Common European Interest that would already take care of 60 of the 1000 bln Green Deal budget, to accelerate hydrogen demand and production  across Europe. Eventhough all projects would require significant investements beyond EU funding, European industry is clearly ready to roll (out). As all projects focus on different H2 segments from 100K light duty FCEV and 500 stations by 2030 (Unhycorn) to 50 barges (BlueDanube) a common Green Deal ambition was dawning..

To demonstrate the need for joint automotive H2 action the EU Automobile industry, ACEA and the  Road Transport Union (IRU) together with the industries of Hydrogen Europe signbed a joint statement at the event (see photo from left ACEA Director Erik-Mark Huitema, Valerie Bouillon-Delporte president of Hydrogen Europe  en Matthias Maedge Director of IRU) on the need to increase the current number of 125  hydrogen refuelling stations in Europe. This would require revising the EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive to include mandatory targets for hydrogen, developing new financial instruments for infrastructure investments, as well as tapping into existing EU funding mechanisms (eg the Connecting Europe Facility, CEF). The statement urges the new EU Commision and EU Parliament to accelerate towards a  strategic plan for the pan-European deployment of infrastructure for fuel cell vehicles needs  which also has to take into account the specific requirements of trucks, such as large storage capacities and strategic locations (eg logistic centres). The EHA is currently contracted to develop a proposal for CEF for the first hydrogen infrastructure and transport applications along the RH(2)INE, one of the core network corridors of the EU TEN T programme.