At the informal Competitiveness Council in San Sebastián (Donostia), the EU’s industry ministers are set, on 9 February to discuss a seven-page report drawn up by the Presidency on promotion of electric vehicles. The Spaniards, eager to protect their strong car and renewable energy industries, have been pushing electric vehicles as an answer to both economic and climate problems facing the EU.

Speaking ahead of the informal meeting, Spanish Science and Innovation Minister Cristina Garmendia Mendizábal warned that it will be difficult for the EU to lead if it does not adopt a common approach on financial support and technological standards. According to Garmendia, if it were not to take a stance on such issues, Europe would effectively be giving up its leadership role in the area. In their report, the Spaniards note that countries such as the US, China, Japan, Australia and Israel are investing “heavily” in electric mobility. “In the EU, electric vehicle programmes of varying ambition have been developed in France, Germany, Spain, the UK, Denmark, Portugal and Poland,” reads the Presidency report.

The Spaniards will centre discussion around several key questions. Firstly, should the EU turn its attention to promoting the technologies and infrastructures behind battery-powered vehicles? Secondly, if so, should the Commission set out a comprehensive European strategy for battery-powered vehicles? Should the Commission set up an inclusive stakeholder structure to help coordinate policy in this area as well as to ensure consistency and coherence between related initiatives across the Union?

The Presidency’s report then lists a series of challenges involved in promoting “battery-powered” mobility. Issues raised include vehicle and component production, especially batteries with technological development remaining a challenge. The Spaniards also note that the availability of raw materials needed for battery and component production also deserves attention with many components only being found outside Europe, sometimes in “unstable” political regions.

Others include skills shortages and concentrating scare financial resources. An interoperable (EU) charging infrastructure and electrical power system is also a must as well as dealing effectively with new electricity demand peaks, metering and payment. Only in a brief paragraph do the Spaniards note environmental concerns, such as emissions and recycling batteries. The document also lists other areas of EU action and “added value”. These include product, performance and market regulation at EU level as well ensuring the health and safety of users. Energy and environmental performance should also be up for discussion, notably through limiting CO ₂ emissions from cars and fuels as well as through the EU’s Emission Trading Scheme (ETS).

The Presidency document is available at www.europolitics.info > Search = 265947