The European Union is considering shifting responsibility for decarbonizing its vehicle fleets to companies.

The National Business Federation of Car Rental with and without driver (FENEVAL) considers that the European Union wants to develop its policy of decarbonization of the vehicle fleet by transferring to companies the responsibility of this work, which would mean an additional economic burden on their accounts.

FENEVAL also expresses its dissatisfaction that the European Commission has opened a "Call for Evidence" of this magnitude coinciding with the holiday period. Such a relevant issue for European companies should not be subject to consultation during the summer.

Last March they established the so-called Automotive Action Plan, as well as the Communication on the Decarbonization of Corporate Fleets, in which they showed that 60% of new car registrations correspond to company cars;The Corporate Vehicles, which in 25% of the cases correspond to rent-a-car; to which are added almost all registrations of vans, trucks and buses.

A common framework

FENEVAL considers that it is necessary to implement a common policy for all the member countries of the European Union, in order to avoid the existence of any kind of common policies in all the countries of the European Union;The aim is to avoid differences in this common market, where freedom of cross-border movements could lead to inequalities in national regulations in the absence of Community legislation.

However, the president of the association, Juan Luis Barahona, assures that this regulation “supposes to make companies responsible for the decarbonization of the mobility sector, damaging results that are already “tight” adjusted” and considers that “public administrations must implement measures that really incentivize the transition to decarbonization” and this work cannot fall on the companies of the mobility sector”.

The European Union itself points out that corporate vehicles are more intensively used and are replaced more frequently, so the fleet tends to be renewed more quickly;The fleet tends to be renewed more quickly and efficiently than the overall fleet of vehicles in circulation, but even so, they insist on implementing this type of measures, which can generate serious grievances for companies.

FENEVAL recalls that its commitment to the environment has always been a sign of identity: "Our vehicles are the most sustainable, as they are constantly being renewed," says its president, Juan Luis Barahona. However, they also remind that it is essential that the administrations implement direct and more flexible aid for the purchase and rental, in addition to other tax incentives that, together with new proposals, facilitate this transition for companies and European citizens.