February Trade Soirée Announcement & End of Year Mobility Policy News from the EU and Beyond: GMPB
Green Mobility Magazine
Empowering professionals with sustainable transport intelligence.
Covered in this festive Green Mobility Policy Brief: EU Transport Trade Soirée Announcement; EU Unveils Flight Emissions Label to Enhance Transparency and Sustainability; EU Commission Reveals Mixed Results in 2023 CO2 Emissions Targets for Car Manufacturers; MSC Cruises Withdraws Fossil LNG Ads in UK Following ASA Investigation; EU State Aid Consultation Seeks to Support Airline and Airport Sustainability; EPP Group Calls for Technology Neutrality and Infrastructure Investment in Automotive Plan; France Advocates for Balanced Approach on Automotive CO2 Regulations and Industry Support as Council Debates End of Vehicle Life; EU Grants Decarbonisation Derogations Under FuelEU Maritime to High-Growth Ports in Italy, Greece, and Malta; and Controversy Surrounds EU’s Proposed Electric Vehicle Mandates for Corporate Fleets.
EU Transport Trade Soirée Announcement!
As we wrap up the year, the team at the Green Mobility Magazine is pleased to announce our first Soirée event planned for 2025:
The February 2025 Green Mobility Magazine Soirée aims to explore critical issues in EU transport trade and address the numerous uncertainties facing Europe’s transport supply chain. The event will feature a panel of experts discussing the likelihood of a transport trade war with the EU’s closest trade partners, analysing current trade relations, political dynamics, and economic indicators. It will also examine the implications of trade tensions on stakeholders, including impacts on supply chains, market access, and regulatory environments. Additionally, the Soirée will provide insights for preparing for potential trade disruptions.
Event Details:
Speakers will be announced shortly.
To explore partnership opportunities, please contact Ben Fitch, Commercial Director, at ben[at]ibexpub[dot]media.
EU Unveils Flight Emissions Label to Enhance Transparency and Sustainability
BRUSSELS, December 18, 2024 – The European Commission has adopted a new Regulation introducing the Flight Emissions Label (FEL), aimed at providing passengers with standardised information on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of their flights. The label, set to be fully operational by July 2025, will enable more informed purchasing decisions and support the aviation industry’s transition to net zero.
Beginning next summer, passengers will be able to view and compare estimated GHG emissions for their flights, expressed in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO2eq). A dedicated logo will accompany this data, ensuring its reliability and protecting passengers from misleading greenwashing claims.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, stated that the FEL represents a significant step towards cleaner and more competitive European aviation. “The Flight Emissions Label will provide passengers with transparent and reliable information about flight emissions,” he said. “It will also foster a level playing field, enabling fair competition and driving sustainability across the transport and tourism industries.”
EU Commission Reveals Mixed Results in 2023 CO2 Emissions Targets for Car Manufacturers
Brussels, 16 December 2024—The European Commission has unveiled its annual decision outlining car manufacturers’ performance in meeting their CO2 emissions targets for 2023, revealing a mix of successes and failures. The announcement comes amidst industry calls for a softening of emissions regulations and political manoeuvring to bolster the competitiveness of the EU’s automotive sector.
MSC Cruises Withdraws Fossil LNG Ads in UK Following ASA Investigation
In a significant development for the cruise industry, MSC Cruises has agreed to withdraw its advertisements promoting fossil liquified natural gas (LNG) as a ‘green’ fuel following a nine-month investigation by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The resolution comes after a complaint filed by environmental NGO Opportunity Green in March 2024, highlighting the legal risks associated with marketing fossil LNG as environmentally friendly.
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The complaint centred on MSC Cruises’ global ad campaign, “For a greater beauty,” which launched in early 2024 across more than 30 countries. The campaign encouraged consumers to cruise more consciously, claiming that MSC’s newest fleet of cruise ships, the MSC World Europa and the MSC Euribia, used “cleaner fuel”—specifically fossil LNG. The ads described the MSC World Europa as utilizing “clean, green technology,” a claim that Opportunity Green challenged as misleading.
The Green Mobility Magazine’s Take:
“The informal resolution in the UK underscores the increasing importance of transparency and accuracy in environmental claims. Markedly, however, the UK MSC case is part of a broader trend whereby non-profit organisations continue to use regulatory authorities and tribunals to discourage and presumably punish transport operators who market fossil-based services in a way deemed inconsistent with climate objectives. Yet, in the absence of specific and clear rules on sustainability-related communications, one must wonder how, if at all, transport stakeholders should communicate their sustainability activities, projects, or objectives. I, for one, look forward to the EU’s Green Claim Directive, which should enter trialogues in the coming year or so, and sincerely hope that the UK will replace its hodgepodge approach, which currently includes myriad rules and industry-specific guidelines originating from the Financial Conduct Authority, the Competition and Markets Authority, and the Advertising Standards Authority, with a single set of clear and unambiguous regulations.” – Thomas Jérémie Hayden-Lefebvre, Editor-in-Chief.
EU State Aid Consultation Seeks to Support Airline and Airport Sustainability
Brussels – The European Commission has initiated a public consultation on the revision of state aid guidelines for airports and airlines, with the aim of aligning the aviation sector with the ambitious targets of the Green Deal while preserving connectivity and promoting fair competition.
EPP Group Calls for Technology Neutrality and Infrastructure Investment in Automotive Plan
BRUSSELS– The EPP Group has announced a policy initiative aimed at securing the competitiveness of the European automotive industry. The plan, adopted today, includes a revision of the ban on internal combustion engines, a technology-neutral approach to foster innovation, temporary relief measures for carmakers, and an accelerated expansion of electric vehicle infrastructure.
France Advocates for Balanced Approach on Automotive CO2 Regulations and Industry Support as Council Debates End of Vehicle Life
Brussels – At the Environment Council meeting on December 17th, France presented a case for maintaining stringent CO2 standards for cars and vans while avoiding measures that could financially burden European car manufacturers. The discussions underscored the need to support the automotive industry during its transition to meet these standards.
According to French officials, the European automotive sector is currently undergoing a significant transformation, requiring a rapid overhaul of its value chain. This process presents substantial risks that need to be managed effectively. The EU’s regulations, including the zero-emission target for cars and vans by 2035, are critical for the strategies of European Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). However, France emphasised the importance of accompanying these targets with measures to preserve the sector’s economic activity and investment capacity.
EU Grants Decarbonisation Derogations Under FuelEU Maritime to High-Growth Ports in Italy, Greece, and Malta
BRUSSELS – ?The European Commission has announced a set of exceptions under the FuelEU Maritime regulations, exempting key ports and popular tourism destinations in Italy, Greece, and Malta.
The FuelEU Maritime initiative aims to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of energy used by ships and mandate the use of on-shore power supply (OPS) or zero-emission technology in EU ports, in line with the EU’s climate neutrality goal by 2050.
Controversy Surrounds EU’s Proposed Electric Vehicle Mandates for Corporate Fleets
Brussels – A recent open letter addressed to European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Tzitzikostas, has sparked a heated debate over the proposed legislation on the “Greening of Corporate Fleets.” The letter, penned by a coalition of industry associations including AECC, IRU, CLEPA, EBA, Fuels Europe, and the eFuel alliance, raises serious concerns about the potential negative impacts of mandatory battery electric vehicle (BEV) purchase targets for corporate fleets.