REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the exercise of the power to adopt delegated acts conferred on the Commission pursuant to Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure
Date: 2019-11-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission
Subjects: European standard, delegated legislation, electric vehicle, electrical energy, electricity supply, hydrogen, powers of the institutions (EU), substitute fuel, technical specification, vessel

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 19.11.2019  COM(2019) 598 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the exercise of the power to adopt delegated acts conferred on the Commission pursuant to Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure  
 
 
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
AND THE COUNCIL 

on the exercise of the power to adopt delegated acts conferred on the 
Commission pursuant to Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and 
of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative fuels 
infrastructure 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 
on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure1 sets out minimum requirements for 
the building-up of alternative fuels infrastructure, including recharging points for electric 
vehicles  and  refuelling  points  for  natural  gas  (LNG  and  CNG)  and  hydrogen.  Articles 
4(4),  4(6),  5(2)  and  6(9)  of  the  directive  stipulate  that  such  recharging  and  refuelling 
points when deployed or renewed as from 18 November 2017, shall comply at least with 
the technical specifications set out in Annex II of the Directive.  

In  accordance  with  Article  8  of  the  Directive,  the  Commission  is  authorized  to  adopt 
delegated acts referred to in: 

  Article 4(14), to: 

a)  supplement  this  article  and  points  1.3,  1.4,  1.5,  1.6  and  1.8  of  Annex  II,  in 
order to require compliance, by the infrastructures to be deployed or renewed, 
with the technical specifications contained in the standards to be developed by 
the relevant European Standardisation Organisations (ESOs).2. 

b)  update the references to the standards referred to in the technical specifications 
set  out  or  to  be  set  out  in  point  1  of  Annex  II  where  these  standards  are 
replaced  by  new  versions  thereof  adopted  by  the  relevant  European  or 
international standardisation organisations. 

  Article 5(3), to update the references to the standards referred to in the technical 
specifications set out in point 2 of Annex II where those standards are replaced by 
new versions thereof adopted by the relevant standardisation organisations. 

  Article 6(11) to: 

a)  supplement  this  Article  and  points  3.1,  3.2  and  3.4  of  Annex  II,  in  order  to 
require  compliance  of  the  infrastructures  to  be  deployed  or  renewed  with  the 
technical specifications contained in the standards to be developed by the relevant 
ESOs; 

1 OJ L 307, 28.10.2014, p. 1. 
2  The  Committee  for  Standardization  (CEN)  and  the  European  Committee  for  Electrotechnical 

Standardization (CENELEC) 

 
 
                                                           
(b)  update  the  references  to  the  standards  referred  to  in  the  technical 
specifications set out or to be set out in point 3 of Annex II where those standards 
are replaced by new versions thereof adopted by the relevant European or Interna-
tional Standardisation Organisations. 

Article 6(12), to lay down: 

-  requirements  for  interfaces  of  bunker  transfer  of  LNG  in  maritime  and  inland 
waterway transport ; 

-  requirements  related  to  safety  aspects  of  the  onshore  storage  and  bunkering 
procedure of LNG in maritime and inland waterway transport. 

Directive  2014/94/EU  already  lays  down  minimum  technical  specifications  for  some 
parts of the alternative fuels infrastructure networks, including: 

  normal and high power recharging points for motor vehicles (points 1.1 and 1.2 

of Annex II) 

  shore-side electricity supply for seagoing ships (points 1.7 of Annex II) 

  hydrogen refuelling points for motor vehicles (point 2 of Annex II) 

  connectors/receptacles for compressed natural gas (CNG) (point 3.3 of Annex II)  

These  provisions  have  already  helped  to  establish  certainty  for  market  investment. 
However,  the  Directive,  in  Annex  II,  indicates  further  needs  for  setting  technical 
specifications in areas where no reference to standards exists yet, including: 

  wireless recharging points for motor vehicles (point 1.3 of Annex II) 

  battery-swapping for motor vehicles (point 1.4 of Annex II) 

 

 

recharging points for L-category motor vehicles (point 1.5 of Annex II) 

recharging points for electric buses (point 1.6 of Annex II) 

  shore-side electricity supply for inland waterway vessels (point 1.8 of Annex II) 

 

refuelling  points  for  LNG  for  inland  waterway  vessels,  sea-going  ships  and 
motor vehicles (points 3.1 and 3.2 of Annex II)  

  CNG refuelling points for motor vehicles (point 3.4 of Annex II) 

In addition, the already existing technical specifications for: 

  outdoor hydrogen refuelling points (point 2.1 of Annex II) 

  hydrogen purity dispensed by hydrogen refuelling points (point 2.2 of Annex II) 

 

 hydrogen fuelling algorithms and equipment (point 2.3 of Annex II) 

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  connectors for motor vehicles for the refuelling  of gaseous  hydrogen (point 2.4 

of Annex II) and 

  CNG connectors/receptacles (point 3.3 of Annex II) 

have  been  updated  because  the  relevant  European  Standardisation  Organisations  have 
adopted new versions of the respective standards.  

2.  LEGAL BASIS  

This report is due under Article 8(2) of Directive 2014/94/EU. 

With  this  report  the  Commission  informs  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  on 
the Commission Delegated Regulations adopted or to be adopted in order to supplement 
or to amend the references to the standards referred to at points 1.5, 1.8, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 
3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 in the technical specifications set out in Annex II of the Directive.  

3.  EXERCISE OF DELEGATION  

A.  By letter of 13 July 2017, the CEN-CENELEC informed the Commission of the 
standards  it  recommended  in  order  to  supplement  or  to  amend  the  technical 
specifications established in points 1.5, 1.8, 2.4, and 3.1 of Annex II of Directive 
2014/94/EU, namely: 

  The  standard  EN  62196-2  ‘Plugs,  socket-outlets,  vehicle  connectors  and 
vehicle  inlets.  Conductive  charging  of  electric  vehicles.  Dimensional 
compatibility  and  interchangeability  requirements  for  a.c.  pin  and  contact-
tube accessories’ and the standard IEC 60884-1 ‘Plugs and socket-outlets for 
household and similar purposes – Part 1: General requirements’ should apply 
to  those  recharging  points,  depending  on  power  and/or  mode  charging,  for 
recharging points for L-category motor vehicles in order to supplement point 
1.5 of the Annex II.  

  The  standard  EN  15869-2  "Inland  navigation  vessels  -  Electrical  shore 
connection, three phase current 400 V, up to 63 A, 50 Hz - Part 2: Onshore 
unit, safety requirements" in order to supplement point 1.8 of the Annex II 
for shore–side electricity supply for inland waterway vessels. 

  The standard EN ISO 17268 for "Gaseous hydrogen land vehicle refuelling 
connection  devices"  in  order  to  amend  the  point  2.4  of  the  Annex  II  for 
hydrogen connectors.  

  The  standard  EN  ISO  20519  "Ships  and  marine  technology  -  Specification 
for bunkering of liquefied natural gas fuelled vessels" in order to supplement 
point 3.1 of the Annex II for inland waterway vessels or sea-going ships. 

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After consulting the Commission Expert Group "Sustainable Transport Forum" and after 
informing  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  of  this  consultation,  the  European 
Commission adopted Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/674 of 17 November 
2017  supplementing  Directive  2014/94/EU  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the 
Council as regards recharging points for L-category motor vehicles, shore-side electricity 
supply for inland waterway vessels, refueling points for  LNG for waterborne transport, 
and amending that Directive as regards connectors for motor vehicles for the refueling of 
gaseous hydrogen3. 

This Delegated Regulation lays down the following provisions: 

1)  The publicly accessible alternating current (a.c.) recharging points reserved for L-
category  electric  vehicles  up  to  3,7  kVA  shall  be  equipped,  for  interoperability 
purposes, with at least one of the following: 

a.  socket-outlets  or  vehicle  connectors  of  Type  3a  as  described  in  standard 

EN 62196-2 (for Mode 3 charging); 

b.  socket-outlets  and  connectors compliant with  IEC 60884 (for Mode 1 or 

Mode 2 charging) 

The publicly accessible alternating current (a.c.) recharging points reserved for L-
category  electric  vehicles  above  3,7  kVA  shall  be  equipped,  for  interoperability 
purposes, with at least socket-outlets or vehicle connectors of Type 2 as described 
in standard EN 62196-2. 

2)  The shore-side electricity  supply  for inland  waterway vessels shall comply with 
standard  EN  15869-2  ‘Inland  navigation  vessels  —  Electrical  shore  connection, 
three  phase  current  400  V,  up  to  63  A,  50  Hz  —  Part  2:  Onshore  unit,  safety 
requirements’. 

3)  The  refuelling  points  for  LNG  for  inland  waterway  vessels  or  sea-going  ships, 
which  are  not  covered  by  the  International  Code  of  the  Construction  and 
Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code), shall comply 
with standard EN ISO 20519. 

4)  Connectors  for  motor  vehicles  for  the  refuelling  of  gaseous  hydrogen  shall 
comply with standard EN ISO 17268 “Gaseous hydrogen land vehicle refuelling 
connection devices”. 

B.  Following  requests  received  from  single  Member  States  and  from  the  Central 
Commission for Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) to technically update and complement 
Commission  Delegated  Regulation  EU  2018/674  of  17  November  2017,  and  following 
the CEN-CENELEC's letter of 26 November 2018, which informed the Commission of 
the  new  developments  in  the  standardisation  of  natural  gas  and  hydrogen  refuelling 

3 JO L 114 du 4.5.2018, p. 1–3, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-

content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2018.114.01.0001.01.ENG 

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infrastructure,  the  Commission  has  adopted  on  13  August  2019  a  new  Delegated 
Regulation4 to repeal Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/674 of 17 November 
2017 and to include the above-mentioned updates and complements as well as the new 
developments in the standardisation of natural gas and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.  

This Commission Delegated Regulation: 

  supplements  point  1.5  by  including  the  standards,  depending  on  the  power 
and/or mode charging) for recharging points for L-Category motor vehicles, 
namely: 

o 

 EN  62196-2  ‘Plugs,  socket-outlets,  vehicle  connectors  and  vehicle 
inlets.  Conductive  charging  of  electric  vehicles.  Dimensional 
compatibility  and  interchangeability  requirements  for  a.c.  pin  and 
contact-tube accessories’ and  

o  IEC  60884-1  ‘Plugs  and  socket-outlets  for  household  and  similar 
purposes  –  Part  1:  General  requirements’  should  apply  to  those 
recharging points. 

  supplements  point  1.8  of  Annex  II  by  including  the  standard  concerning 

shore side electricity supply for inland waterway vessels, namely:  

o  standard  EN  15869-2  "Inland  navigation  vessels  -  Electrical  shore 
connection,  three  phase  current  400  V,  up  to  63  A,  50  Hz  -  Part  2: 
Onshore  unit,  safety  requirements"  or  standard  EN  16840  "Inland 
navigation  vessels  - Electrical  shore connection, three phase current 
400 V, at least 250 A, 50 Hz" depending on energy requirements. 

  amends the points 2. 1 and 2.3 of Annex II by including European standard 
EN 17127 ‘Outdoor hydrogen refuelling points dispensing gaseous hydrogen 
and incorporating filling protocols’ 

  amends the point 2.2 of Annex II by including European standard EN 17124 
‘Hydrogen  fuel  -  Product  specification  and  quality  assurance  -  Proton 
exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell applications for road vehicles’  

  amends  point  2.4  of  Annex  II  by  including  European  standard  EN  ISO 

17268 ‘Gaseous hydrogen land vehicle refueling connection devices’ 

  supplements  point  3.1  of  Annex  II  by  including  the  standard  concerning 
LNG  refuelling  points  for  sea-going  ships  and  inland  waterway  vessels, 
namely: 

o  EN  ISO  20519  "Ships  and  marine  technology  –  Specification  for 
bunkering of liquefied natural  gas fuelled vessels" which will apply 
for seagoing ships, which are not covered by the International Code 

4 C(2019) 5960 final  

5 

 
                                                           
of  the  Construction  and  Equipment  of  Ships  Carrying  Liquefied 
Gases in Bulk (IGC Code), 

o  EN  ISO  20519  (parts  5.3  to  5.7)  which  will  apply  for  inland 

navigation vessels 

  supplements the point 3.2 of Annex II by including interoperability elements 
of  the  European  standard  EN  ISO  16924  ‘Natural  gas  fuelling  stations  – 
LNG  stations  for  fuelling  vehicles’  such  as  the  fuelling  pressure  and  the 
connector to be used 

  amends the point 3.3 of Annex II by requesting European standard EN ISO 
14469  ‘Road  vehicles  –  Compressed  natural  gas  (CNG)  refuelling 
connector’ to apply to CNG connectors/receptacles.  

  supplements  the  point  3.4  of  Annex  II  by  including  the  interoperability 
elements  of  the  European  standard  EN  ISO  16923  ‘Natural  gas  fuelling 
stations – CNG stations for fuelling vehicles’ such as the fuelling pressure  

The  draft  Commission  Delegated  Regulation  was  published  in  the  Better  Regulation 
Portal from 15 March 2019 to 12 April 2019. The Commission received feedback from 
10  respondents.  Moreover,  the  Member  States’  experts  of  the  Sustainable  Transport 
Forum were consulted at different stages of the preparation of the Commission Delegated 
Regulation.  

The  Commission  Delegated  Regulation  was  adopted  by  the  Commission  on  13  August 
20195). According to Article 8.5 of Directive 2014/94/EU, the European Council and the 
European  Parliament  were  consulted  and  no  objection  was  received.  Therefore  this 
Commission Delegated Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following 
that of its publication in the Official Journal of European Union on 22 October 2019. It 
shall apply from 12 November 2021.  

In addition, the adoption of a new Commission Delegated Regulation is foreseen in the 
fourth quarter of 2020 in order to supplement the technical specifications for points 1.3 
(wireless recharging for motor vehicles) and 1.6 (recharging points for electric busses) of 
Annex II of Directive 2014/94/EU.  

The Commission does not intend to include the technical specifications concerning point 
1.4  of  Annex  II  (battery  swapping  for  motor  vehicles)  in  the  above-announced 

5  Commission  Delegated  Regulation  (EU)  2019/1745  of  13  August  2019  supplementing  and 
amending Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards recharging 
points  for  L-category  motor  vehicles,  shore-side  electricity  supply  for  inland  waterway  vessels, 
hydrogen  supply  for  road  transport  and  natural  gas  supply  for  road  and  waterborne  transport  and 
repealing Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/674 (OJ L 268, 22.10.2019, p. 1). 

6 

 
 
                                                           
 
Commission  Delegated  Regulation  because  the  relevant  European  standardisation 
organisation does not consider such standard a priority for the EU industry.  

4.  CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE  

The  Commission  invites  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  to  take  note  of  this 
report. 

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