European Parliament backs relaxation of Ecocombi limits and restrictions

The European Parliament (EP) has voted in favour of establishing new, increased common limits for so-called Ecocombi trucks across the European Union.

By adopting the relevant draft resolution from the European Commission (EC), the EP on Tuesday backed a maximum 22.25-metre length (truck and trailers combined) and a 44-tonne total ‘train’ weight.

At the same time, zero-emission trucks will be allowed 2 tonnes extra to compensate for their payload that would otherwise be lost from the battery pack weight.

With the proposed amendment of the EU’s European Council Directive 96/53/EC, the EC – now with the EP’s backing – aspires to promote the use of Ecocombis on the principle of scale economies reducing the environmental impact per freight tonne carried as compared to the conventional 16.5-metre 40-tonne trucks.

In addition to the number of trucks on Europe’s roads being reduced accordingly (for the same freight volume), the road transport industry and shippers are to benefit through the scale advantages per freight tonne cost.

Greening Freight Package

The draft now passed also stipulates that fossil fuel Ecocombis be phased out by 2034, after which date zero-emission trucks should be the only ones around. The present draft is part of the Greening Freight Package that the EC released in July 2023 aimed to turn Europe’s freight sector into more sustainable and more efficient.

The draft also extends the scope of the European Modular System – which addresses vehicles exceeding the 16.5-metre/40-tonne standard – by lifting the systems of complex bilateral agreements between EU-member states. Instead, it is to apply EU-wide. In addition, usually only a few or sometimes just one, border crossings are allowed for such EMS-regime vehicles. In the proposed amendment, this would be off the table too.

Extending EMS trials

Furthermore, the EP has voted in favour of extending EMS trials to five years, with the option of a three-year extension. In addition, the length of ‘normal’ standard trucks, however, is scheduled to be upped too: from 16.5 to 18 metres.

Following the EP’s approval, the proposal to amend the Council Directive 96/53/EC laying needs to be negotiated with the European Council, i.e. the governments of the European Union’s 27 member states. These trialogue sessions are expected to start after the EP elections in the spring of 2024.

Written by H. J. de Wilt

Read more:

Parliament to decide on longer and heavier “green” trucks

Transport Committee pushes for “greener” trucks and buses