A competitive and green EU automotive sector needs action on both the demand and supply sides. European Commission President von der Leyen has missed a major opportunity in not including commercial road transport operators in kicking off her new strategy today.

Vehicle makers – along with vehicle buyers, labour groups and NGOs – are all interested in a healthier, greener and more competitive EU automotive sector.

More than one million commercial road transport operators in the EU buy and operate over 7 million heavy-duty trucks, buses and coaches and more than 35 million vans and taxis.

Yet Commission President von der Leyen has overlooked this significant group of vehicle buyers and users in launching her Strategic Dialogue on the Automotive Industry in Brussels today.

IRU EU Director Raluca Marian said, “A successful strategy to drive a greener and more competitive automotive sector in the EU must not only focus on supply side factors but also, as equally important, the demand side.

“The kick-off meeting today sets the tone for this important strategic dialogue, but it presents only half of the story. In reality, it is not only about what will be sold, but also about who will buy.

“We hope this omission does not suggest that our sector’s opinion no longer counts due to looming mandatory purchasing targets on corporates. As a sector, we still like to believe that we live in a free-market economy.”

The commercial road transport sector, fundamental to the EU economy, is implementing a clear plan to achieve net-zero targets across its entire operations: the IRU Green Compact. This can only be achieved with the close collaboration of regulators, suppliers, trade union groups and transport users.

“We hope that President von der Leyen will eventually recognise the strategic importance of more than one million companies running commercial vehicles in the EU, and that – through IRU – truck, bus, coach, taxi and van operators will be involved in the strategic dialogue as it progresses,” concluded Raluca Marian.

Source, IRU