+++ Press release +++ Press release +++ Press release +++ Press release

DSLV on the ‚Fit-For-55’ climate package of the European Commission

Zero-emissions logistics are not available for free

Berlin, July 14, 2021

On July 14, 2021 by the EU Commission The ‚Fit-For-55’ package presented includes numerous legislative measures that can accelerate the green transformation of the transport sector in Europe – as long as the legal instruments are used correctly and coupled with investment incentives for the economy. Due to rising CO2 and energy prices, the cost pressure on the logistics industry is constantly increasing, but this alone does not make it possible to switch to emission-free drive types. For this, companies need real alternatives to which they can fall back – and sufficient capital to fund them. Concrete solutions to reduce CO2 emissions must not be forced through state intervention, but must remain up to the market participants, warns the DSLV Bundesverband Spedition und Logistik.
„The companies in the logistics sector are themselves pushing for quick solutions, but can only actively contribute to climate protection if they – also in the global context - remain efficient and competitive," notes Frank Huster, General Manager of the DSLV. “Government CO2 revenue from freight transport must therefore flow back from the European community of states in the form of subsidy programs without cutbacks to the transport sector for investment in green vehicle, technology and infrastructure innovations ;en.”

The prerequisite for this is Europe-wide, competition-neutral CO2 pricing that rules out multiple burdens. In principle, the inclusion of the transport sector in a European emissions trading system (EU-ETS) offers the right basis for this, also for national solo efforts such as the Fuel Emissions Trading Act (BEHG), which today primarily burdens German companies break up. Huster: “With the introduction of an ETS for road traffic, Brussels must now also look beyond the 'Fit-For-55' package to the Eurovignette directive and absolutely avoid multiple charges being levied for identical CO2 emissions through different pricing instruments.”

The revision of the Energy Tax Directive (ETD) will also significantly increase logistics costs until fossil fuels such as diesel and kerosene can be replaced by CO2-neutral energy sources. Instead of introducing additional tax burdens in the short term, all EU member states must focus their efforts on promoting the production and widespread distribution of green electricity using renewable energies. Huster: “A significant increase in taxes on fossil fuels without marketable alternatives will have a massive impact on the cost structure of logistics services.” Brussels must also ensure that European companies are not thrown back in global competition compared to market competitors from third countries, especially for the internationally operating modes of transport sea and air transport.

On the other hand, the planned revision of the EU directive on the development of infrastructure for alternative fuels (AFID) can provide important impetus. The announcement by the EU Commission to prescribe binding uniform target values ??for the development of a tank and charging infrastructure for all member states is therefore gratifying. “The freight forwarding and logistics industry operates internationally, so that alternatively powered commercial vehicles have to meet a standardized infrastructure everywhere in Europe. It is therefore important that the AFID target values ??set in the member states are consistently implemented, especially along the TEN-T corridors, regularly evaluated with the involvement of the users and adjusted if necessary,”, said Huster.

And further: „The overall societal costs in Europe for the green transformation of the transport sector alone will run into the tens of billions. The logistics sub-markets for all modes of transport will also feel this. Zero-emission logistics won't come for free.”

With a project comprising twelve European measures, ‚Fit-For-55‘ the world's most ambitious climate protection package. In the trilogue procedure that is now beginning, the EU Commission, Parliament and Council must not act in an actionist manner. There is still an opportunity for fine-tuning here. Despite the utmost urgency in climate protection, the implementation of the package must be based on the actual availability of alternatives. Huster: “Otherwise the &rsbquo;Fit-For-55’ package will become a purely government collection model with no noticeable ’ecological consequences.”

As the central and federal association, the DSLV represents the interests of the 3,000 leading German forwarding and logistics companies with a total of 604,000 employees through 16 regional state associations ; and an annual industry turnover of 113 billion euros are an essential part of the third largest industry in Germany (as of July 2020). The membership structure of the DSLV ranges from globally active logistics groups, 4PL and 3PL providers to owner-managed forwarding companies (SMEs) with their own truck fleets and charterers of inland waterways and railways to sea, air freight and customs and storage specialists. The DSLV is the political mouthpiece and central contact for the Federal Government, for the institutions of the Bundestag and Bundesrat as well as for all relevant federal ministries and authorities in the legislative and law-implementation process, insofar as logistics and goods transport are involved. are affected.