REPuBLIc OF EsT0NIA
,I MINIsTRY OF EcoNoMIc AFFAIRs
AND C0MMuNIcATI0Ns
Vivianne Heijnen
M inister for the Environment of the
Nethe rlands
M inistry of lnfrastructure and Water 04. 1 .2022 No 24.1 -6/2022/681 8-1
Managernent
The Hague
Invitation to sign the Giobal Mernorandum of
Understanding on Zero-Ernission Medium and Heavy
Duty Vehicles
Dear Minister Heijnen,
1 want to thank you for your invitation and proposal for joining the Mernorandum ofUnderstanding (M0U)
on Zero-Ernission Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicles. We highly value this initiative and we ofcourse agree
with the general ambition ofdecarbonising the transpori sector especially also in the heavy duty segrnent.
—
However, regarding the heavy duty segrnent, we have to be careful and keep also iii mmd the availability
ofdifferent cleaner technologies, consider the overail technological readiness in the heavy duty sector and
also the practical need to cover longer distances for some areas of the Uiiion.
The main concerns from our side are liiiked to our peripheral geographical location and the cost
effectiveness ofdifferent alternative fuel technologies to cover these longer distances in question. In order
to alleviate these concerns, we have supported the uptake ofbiomethane in our transport sector. We see the
need to favour using biomethane as a carbon neutral fuel source in the heavy duty segrnent where it is
practical to do so. Regrettably, there are different opinions in the European Union on this perspective. The
production ofbiogas and biomethane has nurnerous benefits to achieve elimate goals across multiple sectors
and therefore our hope is that it wiII not he excluded as a green fuel and as a rational alternative in heavy
duty vehicles.
We are anticipating that the European Cornrnission is soon publishing a new proposal for heavy-duty
vehicle C02 standards probably together with a tirneline. Based on the upcoming Commission’s proposal
we wilI evaluate and update our position, while keeping in mmd the cornpetitiveness ofour transport sector
and the practical needs stemrning fiom the mentioned geographical constraints. 1 want to thank you again
for this proposal and 1 rernain at your disposal for future considerations on this topic.
With best regards,
Riina Sikkut
M inister of Econom ic Affairs and Infrastructure
Madis Ross +372 625 63 29
[email protected]
Suur-Ameerika 1 / 10122 Tallinn / ESTONIA
Phone: +372 625 6342 / Fax: +372 6313660 / E-niail:
[email protected] / http://www.mkm.ee