Transport

ALTERNATIVE FUELS INFRASTRUCTURE

Review of legislation

The European Commission is calling for evidence until 20 April 2026 in the context of its review of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (EU) 2023/1804. The review will consider appropriateness of the targets for road recharging and refuelling infrastructure; payment and price transparency provisions; and a possible extension to the scope of provisions regarding shore-side electricity supply in maritime ports.

Measuring Instrument Directive

The Directive amending the 2014 Measuring Instruments Directive comes into effect on 9 April 2026. It is intended to set common standards for electric chargers and gas dispensers. Further information is available here: Technical harmonisation: Council approves new requirements for car chargers and other measuring instruments.

STATE AID

As mentioned in our State aid section, the European Commission adopted State aid Land and Multimodal Transport Guidelines and a State aid Transport Block Exemption Regulation, which enter into force on 30 March 2026. These instruments support more sustainable transport modes for both passengers and freight and update the EU State aid framework for land and multimodal transport.

EMISSIONS TRADING SYSTEM 2

As part of the European Green Deal, the EU designed “ETS2” to impose a cost of carbon on suppliers of fossil fuels used for buildings and road transport. The EPA is the national competent authority in Ireland. Monitoring and reporting requirements apply and the system was scheduled to become fully operational in 2027. However, amendments made to the European Climate Regulation now formally postpone the operation of emissions trading for buildings, road transport and additional sectors until 2028.

ROAD TOLLS

The European Commission previously published a proposal to update Directive 1999/62/EC on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures (the “Eurovignette Directive”). The Council has agreed its negotiation mandate for amendments to the Eurovignette Directive. Proposed changes focus on improving the legal clarity of the current Directive, simplifying its implementation and ensuring the consistent application of CO₂-based charging rules. Once the Parliament’s position is adopted, the co-legislators will negotiate to agree a final text.

ACCOUNTING OF EMISSIONS IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR

As part of the package to green freight transport, a proposal for a Regulation on the accounting of greenhouse gas emissions of transport service (CountEmissionEU) is being developed. The Regulation would establish rules for the accounting of the emissions of transport services that start or end on EU territory, where disaggregated information on those emissions is calculated and disclosed, on a contractual or voluntary basis for commercial purposes, or where such calculation and disclosure are required by applicable national or Union law. The Council has now adopted its position on the proposal.

MARITIME AND PORTS STRATEGY

The European Commission launched Industrial Maritime and Ports Strategies to boost competitiveness. The Ports Strategy indicates that the Commission will support ports with clear and targeted funding principles aimed at improving the coordination and efficiency of EU financing.

AVIATION AND MARITIME FUEL

The EU Aviation Safety Agency has published a report outlining reference prices for aviation fuels eligible under the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation and conventional fuels. Further information is available here: EASA publishes briefing note on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) prices in 2025.

Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 lays down uniform rules imposing a limit on the greenhouse gas intensity of energy used on board a ship arriving at, staying at or departing from ports under the jurisdiction of a Member State, and an obligation to use an on-shore power supply or zero-emission technologies at berth in ports under the jurisdiction of a Member State. To ensure compliance of the monitoring of ships a “FuelEU database” is to be set up. The Commission has made an Implementing Regulation to lay down rules relating to the FuelEU database.

INDUSTRIAL ACCELERATOR ACT

As mentioned in other sections, the European Commission proposed a Regulation to establish a framework of measures for the acceleration of industrial capacity and decarbonisation in strategic sectors, which impacts several sectors including automotive manufacture and the automotive supply chain.

We look at the proposed Regulation in our briefing: The EU Industrial Accelerator Act: Impacts on renewable energy auctions, public procurement and FDI.

ALTERNATIVE FUELS INFRASTRUCTURE

Identification Registration Organisation

Article 20 of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 imposes a set of obligations regarding data provision on operators of publicly accessible recharging and refuelling points (or, in accordance with the arrangements between them, the owners of those points). In this context, Member States are required to appoint an Identification Registration Organisation to issue and manage unique identification codes to at least operators of recharging points and mobility service providers.

European Union (Deployment of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure – Identification Registration Organisation) Regulations 2026 appoint the National Roads Authority as the Identification Registration Organisation in the State. They also revoke S.I. No. 647/2018 - European Union (Deployment of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure) (No. 2) Regulations 2018.

EV charging strategy

The Department of Transport is consulting until 24 April 2026 on a draft National EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy for 2026-2028. The strategy is intended to outline a planned and phased approach to delivering a comprehensive national charging network up to 2030.

PLANS FOR TRANSPORT UP TO 2030

The Government published two plans to guide transport development over the next five years. Moving Together – A Collaborative Approach to Systems Change in Transport 2026–2030 aims to support more efficiency and less congestion across the system. A National Sustainable Mobility Policy sets out the strategy up to 2030 for increasing the proportion of sustainable journeys taken in Ireland.