Clean Vehicles Directive – construction equipment must not be in the scope

Since last June, CECE has been closely monitoring the Parliament discussions after a series of amendments tabled by MEPs in the Environment Committee proposed to include construction machinery in the directive’s scope. Since the beginning, CECE opposed this proposal and communicated industry’s position on this. For the moment, this has paid off, as the Rapporteur MEP Grzyb (EPP,PL) proposed compromise amendments in CECE’s favour. However, latest news indicate that, despite this positive development, other political groups continue to support the scope’s extension to our sector.

CECE has no reservation on the emission reduction goals the EU has set itself and our industry is proud of the significant advancements it has made in this regard. However, this directive is tailored to the transport sector and is inadequate to cover also mobile machines such as those manufactured by CECE member companies. Indeed, construction equipment is highly diverse, non-standardised and produced in smaller quantities than vehicles and therefore should not be considered as road transport such as passenger cars, buses, coaches and trucks. Work conditions, safety requirements and infrastructure during construction projects have to be clearly differentiated from road transport use, especially regarding electrification or alternative fuels use.