Newsroom

In the second part of this series on the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035), IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto outlines clear actions to materialise tangible results. For a historical overview of sustainable road transport and joint IRU-UN initiatives, see the first part of this series.

IRU and industry partners were recently in Zeebrugge, Belgium, to review progress in electrifying long-haul freight transport under the EU-funded ZEFES project.

As the EU road transport sector accelerates its green and digital transition, the spotlight is increasingly on the people who will make it work on the ground. That was the message from a week of IRU discussions in Brussels, where EU policymakers, industry leaders and operators gathered to focus on one priority: how to align skills, technology and regulatory frameworks to deliver the transition.

IRU welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a regulation on the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act but warns that the transport dimension, the backbone of EU mobility and industrial supply chains, remains underrepresented.

With new powertrain technologies becoming increasingly available on the market and EU-level policies pushing the sector towards zero-emission vehicles, operators are facing tough choices in planning investments for future vehicle purchases. Spain’s national trucking association gave us an overview of the key competing factors.

With the new UN sustainable transport decade under way, it’s now time to make it happen. In this two-part series, IRU’s Secretary General – who led efforts 30 years ago to establish the first sustainable development charter by a global transport organisation – reflects on the significance of sustainable transport and joint IRU–UN efforts since the historic 1992 Earth Summit.

The electric duo-trailer will first travel a 90km route twice a day. In a second phase, it will run an intermodal route between Spain and Germany. The long-term ambition is to promote cross-border operations with electric vehicles and encourage regulatory changes that normalise the use of duo-trailers.

IRU and more than 40 European transport organisations jointly call on EU Member States and the European Commission to allocate at least EUR 100 billion to the next Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding round under the forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

IRU hosted the H2Accelerate consortium as hydrogen truck deployment in the EU transitions from small-scale trials to early market deployment.

The EUR 3 billion ETS2 Frontloading Facility is a welcome development. However, without explicit prioritisation, commercial road transport risks being left without the predictable support it needs to decarbonise.

The chairs of the European Parliament’s political groups decided yesterday to allocate the Greening Corporate Fleets file to both the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), overturning an earlier provisional allocation to only ENVI.

IRU brought together policymakers and the industry to clarify how EU driving and rest time rules apply as electric fleets scale up.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, and the International Transport Forum (ITF) have signed a new cooperation agreement ahead of the ITF 2026 Summit, fuelling their long-standing partnership.

Tolls have been on the industry’s mind across Europe. We discussed the latest developments with Axxès, a European leader in this area.

Diesel VAT rates range from 8.1% to 27% in Europe – and 17 European countries apply a CO2-based component to their diesel tax. Our latest Intelligence Monitoring details the various taxes applied to diesel by country.

IRU, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and T&E urge the European Commission to ensure continuity of EU funding for heavy-duty vehicle charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, warning that a break in support in 2026–2027 would risk slowing the deployment of zero-emission vehicles.

The EU road transport community made significant gains in 2025. In close cooperation with its members, operators and policymakers, IRU helped drive progress on several major EU files, grounded in on-the-ground realities.

The European Commission has adopted the EU Automotive Package, a set of legislative initiatives aimed at supporting the decarbonisation of road transport and the competitiveness of the automotive sector.

As the European Commission is expected to present its Automotive Package  tomorrow, as announced, IRU and its partner associations, the European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Customs Services (CLECAT), and the European Shippers’ Council (ESC), will bring together leading Members of the European Parliament and industry stakeholders in Strasbourg tomorrow to discuss solutions, showcase progress, and ensure that fleet decarbonisation ambitions are grounded in operational real

IRU called for a grounded and immediate approach to sustainable transport at the launch of the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026–2035 in New York.

The UNFCCC, COP30 Presidency, and Brazilian Ministry of Transport’s joint statement released yesterday at the launch of the UN Decade for Sustainable Transport puts the pivotal role of road transport in achieving COP30 goals and the Decade’s implementation activities firmly in the spotlight. It calls for the implementation of UN transport conventions, international cooperation, and the deployment of skills development tools to accelerate the transition to sustainable practices and technologies.

IRU welcomes the European Commission’s European Grids Package and Energy Highways initiative as an important first step towards modernising the electricity system. But the essential operational enablers for the electrification of commercial road transport are still missing.

IRU and EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas today discussed how upcoming transport measures align with day-to-day operational realities across the sector.

How do different truck powertrains compare in terms of total cost of ownership (TCO) and CO₂ emissions in Spain? IRU presented the findings of its new Intelligence Briefing for the first time at a recent event in Zaragoza.

IRU welcomes the Council’s balanced general approach on the Weights and Dimensions Directive and calls for final improvements in the Parliament.

At this year’s SOLUTRANS exhibition in Lyon, France, IRU put the spotlight on two pressing challenges facing road transport: the shortage of drivers and the road to net-zero.

IRU has formally conveyed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen the united and peaceful protest of 5,302 transport operators and shippers from across the EU. They have signed an online petition opposing the Commission’s intention to introduce mandatory zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) purchasing targets.

World Sustainable Transport Day, celebrated every year on 26 November, takes on special significance this year as we count down to the new UN Decade of Sustainable Transport.

What kind of truck should you buy today to optimise your TCO during its first ownership life? We compared the costs of different truck powertrains – and their CO2 emissions – across seven major European road freight markets during our recent webinar.

IRU and FuelsEurope warn that the omission of road transport from the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) undermines the availability of sustainable fuels.

Meeting CO₂ emission reduction targets with intermodality, efficiency measures and alternative fuels drove the conversation at a recent IRU Green Compact Roundtable in Vienna.

From scope 1 to 3, DP World is holding itself and its customers accountable in terms of decarbonisation. We asked them how they’re doing it.

IRU mapped its vision for a world where supply chains are not only efficient and reliable but also sustainable at Huawei’s forum today in Dongguan, China.

What’s the way forward? IRU unpacked the keys to making trade faster and greener – and doing so sustainably – at a major Greek industry event.

The transition to commercial electric vehicles is underway, but it’s costly. What can be done? We explored some of the available solutions with global asset finance firm DLL.