Sustainable Transport

Germany Amends BImSchG To Designate Umweltbundesamt As FuelEU Maritime Enforcement Authority

Germany has adopted an omnibus law that, among other justice measures, amends the Federal Immission Control Act to designate the Umweltbundesamt as the national authority for enforcing payments and conformity checks under the EU FuelEU Maritime Regulation. Shipping companies and fuel-related operators falling under German jurisdiction for FuelEU Maritime will now need to plan for interaction with Umweltbundesamt on compliance processes, signalling more structured national enforcement of maritime fuel decarbonisation rules.

23 May 2026, 19:57bundestag.deGermanyEuropean Union

EU Commission Updates Climate Tracking And Digital Tagging For Poland's Recovery And Resilience Plan

In May 2026 the European Commission published a staff working document updating how Poland’s modified Recovery and Resilience Plan is tagged against EU climate and digital targets under the Recovery and Resilience Facility framework. The update reallocates and documents climate and digital coefficients across a wide range of funded measures, confirming that climate-tagged spending will be fully financed from EU funds and signalling continued support for green and digital investments without introducing new reporting duties for companies beyond existing RRP implementation rules.

23 May 2026, 19:06ec.europa.euEuropean UnionPoland

European Commission Signals Year-End Draft Implementing Act on Low-ILUC Biofuel Certification

In a 21 May 2026 European Parliament plenary debate, the European Commission confirmed its April 2026 update to the high ILUC-risk biofuels delegated regulation and signalled that a draft amendment to the implementing act on low ILUC feedstock certification is planned by the end of 2026. This points to tighter limits on counting palm-oil- and soy-based biofuels towards renewables targets, reinforces their exclusion from ReFuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime, and gives fuel suppliers and airlines/shipping operators an indicative timeline to prepare for new certification rules.

23 May 2026, 11:19control.eup.glcloud.euEuropean Union

CJEU Advocate General Kokott Clarifies SEA Obligations for S1 Vienna Outer Ring Express Road (Case C-189/25)

On 21 May 2026, CJEU Advocate General Kokott issued an opinion in Case C-189/25 arguing that Austria’s amended route-designation law for the S1 Vienna Outer Ring express road should have been subject to strategic environmental assessment under Directive 2001/42/EC and that omissions at this level can later destabilise downstream permits. If followed by the Court, this would materially raise legal risk for major infrastructure projects whose underlying plans or route choices were modified without SEA, as national authorities could be required to suspend or revoke long-standing consents unless an equivalent assessment has already rectified the gap.

23 May 2026, 09:13eur-lex.europa.euEuropean UnionAustria

UK Government Will Not Proceed With Solar Canopies on New Outdoor Car Parks

In May 2026 the UK government confirmed it will not proceed with its proposed mandate for solar canopies on new outdoor car parks, closing Section 1 of the “Solar on car parks and electric vehicle charging” call for evidence. This removes a potential future requirement for car-park developers and asset owners, while separate work on simplifying planning rules and guidance for electric vehicle charging infrastructure continues through additional consultations.

23 May 2026, 09:11gov.ukUnited Kingdom

EU Expert Groups’ Joint Recommendations on Data Exchange for Smart Charging and Demand-Side Flexibility

EU expert groups have issued a joint report setting out a common data-exchange framework to enable demand-side flexibility, smart charging, and bidirectional charging for EVs and other flexible assets across the European energy system over the coming years. These non-binding recommendations signal the technical and governance direction for future EU legislation and standards, so companies involved in e-mobility, heat pumps, storage, and grid-edge solutions should treat them as an early roadmap for upcoming regulatory and data-interoperability expectations.

23 May 2026, 09:08transport.ec.europa.euEuropean Union

EEA Joint Committee Decision 55/2026 Adds Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3214 on Offshore Ship MRV and Sustainable Fuel Zero‑Rating to Annex XX of the EEA Agreement

The EEA Joint Committee has incorporated Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3214 into Annex XX of the EEA Agreement, extending EU rules on greenhouse gas monitoring for offshore ships and the zero-rating of certain low-carbon fuels to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. This aligns EEA maritime operators with the EU MRV and ETS fuel-accounting framework, meaning offshore fleets and fuel choices must meet stricter data, monitoring and certification expectations to benefit from zero-rated sustainable fuels.

23 May 2026, 08:48eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Economic AreaEuropean UnionNorwayIcelandLiechtenstein

EEA Joint Committee Decision 53/2026 Incorporates 2024 and 2025 CORSIA State List Regulations into Annex XX (Environment)

Decision 53/2026 of the EEA Joint Committee, effective from 7 February 2026 and published in May 2026, updates Annex XX (Environment) of the EEA Agreement to incorporate the EU 2024 and 2025 CORSIA state list implementing regulations. This aligns EEA EFTA States’ aviation emissions trading rules with the EU for 2024–2025 by clarifying which international routes are treated as CORSIA-applying when determining coverage under the EU Emissions Trading System.

23 May 2026, 08:47eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Economic AreaEuropean Union

EEA Joint Committee Decision 56/2026 Adds HDV CO2 Emissions Decision 2025/1786 to Annex XX of the EEA Agreement

EEA Joint Committee Decision 56/2026, published in May 2026, incorporates the EU’s 2023 list of CO2 emissions values and credits for new heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers into Annex XX (Environment) of the EEA Agreement. This aligns Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway with the EU heavy-duty vehicle CO2 performance regime, giving truck OEMs and large fleet operators a consistent set of emissions benchmarks for compliance monitoring and longer-term decarbonisation planning across the wider European market.

23 May 2026, 08:47eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Economic AreaEuropean Union

EU Council: Sweden Comments on Permitting Directive 2nd Presidency Compromise Text

Sweden has submitted detailed comments on the EU Permitting Directive compromise text, contesting prescriptive EU rules on digital permitting portals, tacit approvals, benefit-sharing and overriding public interest tests for energy infrastructure. This signals pushback against far-reaching harmonisation of permitting across Member States, so companies planning major renewable, grid, storage or recharging projects should expect further negotiation and possible changes to timelines and procedures before final EU rules are agreed.

22 May 2026, 18:59data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

Australia Proposes NVES Integration Date Amendment for Vehicles Subject to ADR 81/03 and ADR 114/00

Australia has notified a draft New Vehicle Efficiency Standard Amendment (NVES Integration Date) Determination 2026 that would phase currently exempt vehicles into the NVES regime from mid-2027, aligned with new Australian Design Rules on carbon dioxide emissions measurement. Vehicle manufacturers and importers should plan for these vehicles to count toward NVES targets, reassess fleet mix and compliance margins, and consider submitting comments by 20 July 2026 before the transition schedule is finalised.

22 May 2026, 18:57members.wto.orgAustralia

Australia Adopts ADR 114/00 Standard for Vehicle CO₂ Emissions Measurement

Australia has brought into force ADR 114/00, a new national vehicle standard setting how CO₂ emissions must be measured and reported for certain heavier light-duty passenger and goods vehicles, with obligations applying to vehicles supplied from 30 June 2027. This locks in internationally aligned CO₂ test methods for affected vehicles and creates a clear, auditable emissions dataset that can underpin future efficiency targets and market-access conditions for importers and manufacturers.

22 May 2026, 18:57legislation.gov.auAustralia

Nine EU Member States Issue Joint Non-Paper on Greening of Corporate Vehicle Fleets

Nine EU Member States have issued a joint non-paper to the Council on competitiveness and sustainable mobility in the greening of corporate vehicle fleets. This coordinated positioning could influence future EU measures on corporate fleets and road transport decarbonisation, affecting automotive strategy, fleet procurement decisions and supporting infrastructure planning.

22 May 2026, 18:56eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Union

EU Council Presidency Circulates Compromise Text on Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation Proposal

In May 2026 the Council Presidency tabled a non-public compromise text on the proposed EU Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation (interinstitutional file 2025/0421(COD)), marking a further step in Council negotiations. Although the compromise text itself is inaccessible, its circulation signals that binding EU rules on what counts as a clean corporate vehicle are moving closer, so fleet-owning companies and vehicle suppliers should monitor this file for an eventual agreed text and implementation timelines.

22 May 2026, 18:56consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

EU Commission Updates Climate Tracking and Digital Tagging of Spain’s Recovery and Resilience Plan

In May 2026 the European Commission issued a staff working document updating the climate tracking and digital tagging of Spain’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, detailing how revised measures are classified against EU climate and digital objectives. The document does not create new legal obligations for businesses but underpins an amending Council decision and clarifies which types of Spanish investments are counted most strongly towards EU climate and digital spending targets, guiding future project design and funding strategies.

22 May 2026, 16:50eur-lex.europa.euEuropean UnionSpain

Sweden (Västmanland County) Adopts Regional Electrification Action Plan

The County Administrative Board of Västmanland has adopted a government-commissioned regional action plan to coordinate electrification efforts, strengthen energy planning, and guide industrial and transport decarbonisation towards Sweden’s 2045 climate neutrality target. For companies and infrastructure planners in the region, this signals future focus areas for grid capacity, flexibility, funding priorities, and supply-chain due diligence expectations rather than introducing immediate new legal obligations.

22 May 2026, 09:46lansstyrelsen.seSweden

Hong Kong Government Outlines Subsidy and Fast-Charger Plans for Electric Commercial Vehicles

In May 2026 the Hong Kong Government confirmed funding, infrastructure targets, and a new fast-charger scheme to accelerate uptake of electric buses, taxis, and other commercial vehicles. These commitments signal sustained public investment in charging capacity and incentives, shaping long-term fleet and infrastructure planning for transport operators, OEMs, and charging providers.

22 May 2026, 09:46info.gov.hkHong Kong SAR China

CARB Opens Public Comment on LCFS Tier 2 Pathways B0858 (Hydrogen) and B0849 (Renewable Diesel)

In May 2026, the California Air Resources Board opened a short public comment period on two Tier 2 Low Carbon Fuel Standard pathway applications for hydrogen from dairy manure biogas (B0858) and renewable diesel from multiple feedstocks (B0849), with comments due on 2 June 2026. Hydrogen producers, renewable diesel refiners, and other LCFS‑obligated fuel suppliers should review these applications and consider commenting on assumptions that will shape final carbon intensities, credit generation potential, and long‑term compliance strategy.

21 May 2026, 06:50ww2.arb.ca.govUnited States

Netherlands’ Formule E-Team Advises on Stimulating Second-Hand Electric Vehicle Market

In February 2026 the Dutch multi-stakeholder Formule E-Team advised the government to adopt a structural package of tax, subsidy and charging reforms to stimulate the second-hand market for electric vehicles. If policymakers act on this advice, automotive and charging-sector stakeholders should prepare for possible changes to motor vehicle tax, second-hand purchase incentives and public charging rules that could significantly reshape EV demand, pricing and infrastructure investment in the Netherlands.

20 May 2026, 19:57zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlands

Hong Kong and Dongguan Sign MOU to Support EcoCeres Sustainable Aviation Fuel Hub in Dongguan

In May 2026, the Hong Kong SAR and Dongguan governments, working with EcoCeres, signed an MOU and investment letter of intent to develop a sustainable aviation fuel hub and complete SAF supply chain in Dongguan using waste-based feedstocks. The move does not itself create new legal obligations but materially expands regional SAF production capacity to support Hong Kong’s 2030 SAF use target, signalling that aviation and fuel supply chains in the Greater Bay Area should factor SAF availability and potential future blending rules into medium-term planning.

20 May 2026, 19:18news.gov.hkHong Kong SAR ChinaChina