The article is co-published with the professional publication Energy & Climate.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications has summarized the consultation round on the EU Commission’s proposal for CO₂emission requirements for cars and vans. “Norway, on the other hand, will live well with even more ambitious goals than what is in the proposal from the European Commission,” it says in the summary.

In this way, Norway puts its hand into a political wasp nest in the EU. These demands are controversial, not least parts of the car industry have reacted.

The sharpened CO₂– the emission requirements from cars are one part of the EU store climate law package «Suitable for 55» which will ensure that the EU cuts 55 per cent of emissions by 2030. In the Norwegian consultation round, 20 contributions have been received. They are divided into three main groups: those who support the proposal, those who want to use biogas, and those who want stricter requirements.

Norway supports those who want to tighten the requirements

Internally in the EU, there are several EU countries (Council of Ministers) and forces in the European Parliament that want to proceed faster than what the EU Commission proposes.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications believes that Norway should support these countries in the EU. Whether support from abroad Norway will be particularly important for production in the EU is rather doubtful. But Norway is a great power in electric cars.

The Commission’s proposal entails unchanged emission requirements in 2025, tightening of emission requirements in 2030 and phasing out of fossil cars and vans by 2035.

The discussion in the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers is expected to cut to the time 2035, where an alliance of countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria and Belgium may consider pushing the time down to 2030. This is what the Ministry of Transport believes Norway should support.

Creates better electric car market

“If you wait for the challenge of tightening the requirements, this may lead to a poorer selection of electric cars in Icke until 2030, than if the requirement comes somewhat earlier, for example in the form of a step-by-step escalation of emission requirements,” the ministry’s note states.

In its summary, the Ministry writes that «CO₂emissions from cars and vans account for 75% of the total CO₂emissions from road transport in the EU. It is necessary to increase the level of ambition in 2030 to ensure a smooth transition towards 2050, and to limit the costs and benefits of the transition to zero emissions. »

«The proposal for stricter emission requirements from passenger cars and light vans will not have any negative consequences for Norway. Electric passenger cars make up 55 per cent of all newly registered (incl. Used imports) passenger cars in Norway in the first half of 2021. Electric light vans make up 14.7 per cent of all newly registered (incl. Used imports) light vans in Norway in the first half of 2021. Norway calculates with zero emissions will amount to 90-100 per cent of new passenger cars and light vans in 2030 if the current policy is continued, “the ministry writes.