The European Federation of Inland Ports supports the track to 55 outlined by the “Fit for 55”-package
The European Federation of Inland Ports supports the ambitions of the “Fit for 55”-proposals as it is an essential step in achieving the European Green Deal and realising carbon-neutral logistics and transport, according to EFIP's release.
The European Commission published the “Fit for 55”-package on 14 July. It aims to achieve the European Climate Law target to reduce greenhouse emissions by at least 55% by 2030, and reach climate neutrality by 2050.
The package includes a wide array of proposals, of which the new Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) and the revision of the Energy Taxation Directive (ETD) are essential to ports.
In the AFIR, inland ports welcome the proposed axis approach in the context of the National policy frameworks proposal. In order to ensure that all alternative fuels infrastructure is deployed in a balanced and targeted manner, Member States will need to develop policy frameworks together, taking into account the current and future state of the market, needs of the users, characteristics of the network and other parameters. As outlined in the EFIP position paper, such an approach will support the uptake of alternative fuels while avoiding stranded assets and investment insecurity.
The revision of the ETD takes the necessary steps to ensure alternative fuels will be taken up in the market. The ten-year minimum tax rate of zero will first support movers and innovators in the transport sector to take up these sustainable fuels as soon as possible.
In order to make “Fit for 55” the success that Europe needs, further considerations have to be given to:
A future revision of the ADN in order to enable the transport of hydrogen by inland vessels and trains;
Avoiding fragmentation in the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure;
Ensuring that funding is prioritised to achieve the goals set by the “Fit for 55”-package.