Hundreds of delegates from over 40 countries gathered in Turkmenistan recently to discuss challenges and opportunities in cross-border transport and logistics.

IRU has published its annual report for 2022, looking at the organisation’s progress and achievements in a year when it had to deliver during challenging times.

The European Commission proposal made today to add trailers and semi-trailers to the Eurovignette Directive can only be seen as an industry incentive if Member States are obliged to apply it from the same date as the motor vehicle CO₂ rate variation.

Decarbonisation: it’s not only about alternative fuels. Eco-driving is synonymous with fuel efficiency. By driving more efficiently, drivers can reduce their fuel consumption – and thus CO2 emissions – by up to 15%.

The Council of the EU yesterday adopted a new emissions trading system for road transport (ETS II). The system will apply to road transport fuel suppliers starting 2027, unless oil and gas prices are exceptionally high.

The European Parliament has adopted a new emissions trading system for buildings and road transport (ETS II) that will go live in 2027.

Transport operators should be able to choose from the options available in a free market. The European Commission’s Greening Corporate Fleets initiative must incentivise transport operators to purchase zero-emission vehicles, not force them. 

IRU and three of its EU members have joined the H2Accelerate TRUCKS project to propel the decarbonisation of long-haul trucks across the European Union. IRU, together with its members from Austria (WKÖ), Italy (FIAP) and Romania (UNTRR), have joined one of the EU’s biggest zero-emission vehicle projects.

Coming together for their biannual meetings, IRU’s EU passenger and goods transport members adopted key sector positions aimed at reducing pollutant emissions and decarbonising corporate fleets. The European Commission’s proposal on Euro 7 emission standards is on the to-do list of EU legislators.

A timely roll-out of alternative fuels infrastructure is a basic requirement for a large-scale shift to zero-emission vehicles, but Member States show no sign of supporting this ambition. Earlier this month, the EU Commission released its long-awaited proposal on CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles.

IRU was involved in a wide range of activities at the UN’s 85th Inland Transport Committee (ITC) session this week, driving road transport forward with its members, governments and international organisations. It was a busy week in Geneva. Road transport actors from around the world were in town for the 85th ITC session, including delegations from the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)’s 56 member states and far beyond.

IRU member DKV Mobility boasts one of the largest networks of alternative energy solutions in Europe. We sat down with Marc Erkens, DKV Mobility’s Head of Sustainability and New Mobility, to discuss how the company is helping its customers decarbonise, and the challenges that lie ahead.

IRU and the International Road Federation (IRF) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to reinforce their long-standing collaboration. Road transport operators, infrastructure providers, and users are essential in connecting people, businesses, and societies all over the world.

IRU Secretary General has discussed the key role of coach transport in global mobility, and how governments can unleash its potential, on the occasion of Flix’s 10-year anniversary. Leading mobility provider and IRU member Flix hosted a panel discussion with high-level institutional and industry experts to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. The panel focused on the future of mobility and lessons learnt from the successes and challenges of the past.

IRU has welcomed many aspects of the European Commission’s proposed rules on CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles, however, open concerns remain. IRU calls for more pragmatism from lawmakers in the upcoming legislative process. The EU Commission has today proposed amendments to CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles which propose a 100% target for the sale of zero-emission buses from 2030 and a 90% target for other heavy-duty vehicles (trucks and coaches) in a phased approach to 2040.

IRU member ALSA is investing heavily in different fuel technologies to meet its objective of operating only zero-emission urban buses by 2035, and long-distance coaches by 2040, in Spain. Miguel Angel Alonso, ALSA’s Director of Engineering and European Funds, gave us an overview of the progress made so far and what lies ahead.

Brussels, 1 February 2023 – Road transport, shippers and energy groups in Europe have called for carbon neutral fuels to be recognised as a long-term decarbonisation solution, alongside electrification and hydrogen, for a well-functioning and stable EU logistics sector.

After intense negotiations, the Council of the EU, the European Parliament and the European Commission struck a deal last weekend on an Emissions Trading System (ETS) for buildings and roads (ETS II) that sees reason prevail, having taken on board the road transport industry’s critical recommendations. 

IRU joined a group of key stakeholders invited by the European Internal Market Commissioner, Thierry Breton, to set concrete key performance indicators (KPIs) for a clean and competitive transformation of the EU’s automotive ecosystem.

Global multi-energy company TotalEnergies has joined IRU as its newest corporate member.

Decarbonisation and digitalisation were on the agenda as the heads of IRU and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) met this week in Bangkok, Thailand.

The road transport sector reiterates its commitment to reducing CO₂ emissions to net-zero by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement. But it cannot do it alone.

IRU cautiously welcomes the European Commission’s Euro 7 proposal to set more ambitious vehicle emission standards.

IRU’s 2022 North American Transportation Forum (NATF) Leadership Dialogue has brought together senior executives from road transportation companies from Canada, Mexico and the US.

Georges Hilbert is the CEO of Sales-Lentz, a Luxembourgish operator with a wealth of experience running alternatively fuelled buses. He told us that the lack of alternative fuels infrastructure is challenging, especially as coach travel remains without proper alternatives to diesel.

Members in IRU’s EU passenger, taxi and goods transport groups met in Brussels last week to debate and decide on new policy positions in three key areas.

IRU welcomes today’s European Parliament vote for an ambitious and comprehensive alternative fuels infrastructure regulation that would help decarbonise commercial road transport.

IRU’s President Radu Dinescu has outlined key road transport operator challenges to the International Road Federation’s annual conference in Morocco.

IRU has welcomed the European Parliament’s Transport Committee (TRAN) vote last night on their report, which amends the European Commission’s proposal for an Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). IRU urges the full Parliament to vote for the same level of ambition in two weeks’ time.

IRU’s North American Transportation Forum has debated how road transport operators are managing the accelerated pace of decarbonisation and its impact on the sector.

Global energy leader Shell has joined IRU as a corporate member to enhance collaboration with the sector on decarbonisation and other challenges.

We spoke with UPS about the company’s environmental vision, the importance of maintaining renewable biofuels as an option for the sector, the need for investment support in establishing reliable and smart electric recharging grids and what steps UPS is taking to reach its goal of fuelling 40% of ground operations with alternative fuels by 2025.

Turkmenistan’s Caspian Sea town of Awaza hosted the Ministerial Transport Conference of Landlocked Developing Countries, which was organised jointly by the Government of Turkmenistan and the Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. The high-level event brought together representatives from 39 countries and 34 international organisations.

IRU member and global logistics firm DB Schenker has begun using TIR in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, saving time and CO2 emissions.