1 Recognize that hydrogen will be an important enabler for multiple applications in a decarbonized energy system. Introduce into the upcoming gas legislation package an obligation for member states to replace a significant share of gas consumption in 2030 by clean hydrogen in order to kick-start the clean hydrogen market.
2. Establish common harmonized European standards that facilitate the creation of a single clean hydrogen market. In particular, common high safety standards are key and a common methodology for guarantees of origin, on the basis of the promising CertifHY initiative.

The Dutch input to the Dutch vice president for “The European Green Deal” Frans Timmermans that the new EU Com mission will present on December 11, 2019 put hydrogen in the middle of its suggestions for a Clean Reliable and Affordable Energy. The Dutch input that was presented on November 25, 2019 also presented a comprehensive overview for concrete actions for sustainable transport including:

– Concrete measures for the short, medium and long term to reach the 50% reduction target in international shipping for  2050 as agreed within IMO.
–  Safeguard the implementation of CORSIA and committing to a more ambitious long term goal for the international aviation sector.
– A proposal from the Commission for improving carbon pricing in the aviation sector at the European level.
– An EU target to make inland waterway transport climate neutral by 2050 combined with the possibility of a levy on gas oil to create a greening fund.

The wheeling and dealing on the EU Green Deal was cut short by the EC president Ursula von der Leyen before the  EU Parliament voted in the new Commission as of December 1, 2019 on November 27, 2019:
“If there is one area where the world needs our leadership, it is on protecting our climate. This is an existential issue for Europe – and for the world. How can it not be existential when 85% of people in extreme      poverty live in the 20 countries mostvulnerable to climate change? How can it not be existential when we see Venice under water, Portugal’s forests on fire, or Lithuania’s harvests cut by half because of droughts This has happened before but never with the same frequency or intensity. We do not have a moment to waste. The faster Europe moves, the greater the advantage will be for our citizens, our competitiveness and our prosperity.”

A day later on November 28, 2019 the EU Parliament declared the “climate emergency” in Europe….

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