European Parliament approves targets to curb energy consumption and support electric vehicles

The European Parliament today gave final approval to a series of rules requiring EU countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions more sharply by 2030 than previously planned. MEPs agreed to reduce energy consumption in the EU by 11.7 percent and approved rules for building charging stations for electric vehicles. They also adopted a rule requiring more frequent use of environmentally friendly fuels in shipping.

Under the adopted Energy Efficiency Directive, the EU should increase efficiency from 2024 and achieve savings that bring total final energy consumption down by an average of 1.5 percent a year. The previous plan set the figure at 0.8 percent. By 2030, energy consumption should be reduced by 11.7 percent compared with the levels the EU had projected for the end of the decade three years ago.

MEPs also approved rules for cleaner transport by a large majority. Under the rules, from 2026, charging stations with a capacity of at least 400 kW must be located no more than 60 kilometres apart on all roads in the core European network. Two years later, the minimum required capacity should rise to 600 kW. Charging stations for trucks and buses should be available every 120 kilometres.