COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A strategic rollout plan to outline a set of supplementary actions to support the rapid deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure
Date: 2021-07-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission
Subjects: clean technology, electric vehicle, energy resources, hydrogen, investment policy, reduction of gas emissions, renewable energy, renewable resources, substitute fuel, sustainable mobility

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 14.7.2021  COM(2021) 560 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A strategic rollout plan to outline a set of supplementary actions to support the rapid deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure  
 
 
1  

Introduction  

The European Commission’s sustainable and smart mobility strategy1 lays the foundation for 
how  the  EU  transport  system  can  achieve  its  green  and  digital  transformation  and  become 
more resilient to future crises. As outlined in the European Green Deal2, the outcome should 
be  a  90%  cut  in  transport  greenhouse  gas  (GHG)  emissions  by  2050,  in  line  with  the 
requirement  to  achieve  climate  neutrality  in  the  EU  by  2050.  The  sustainable  and  smart 
mobility  strategy  therefore  makes  it  a  key  priority  to  boost  the  uptake  of  zero-  and  low-
emission vehicles, renewable and low-carbon fuels and related infrastructure for all modes of 
transport, without further delay. In this context, it is imperative that no EU region or territory 
is left behind and that regional disparities in the deployment of alternative fuels  infrastructure 
are duly addressed, in particular in less developed regions or regions with specific needs and 
circumstances3.  

Boosting  the  uptake  of  renewable  and  low-carbon  fuels  must  go  hand-in-hand  with  the 
creation  of  a  comprehensive  network  of  recharging  and  refuelling  infrastructure  to  fully 
enable the widespread uptake of low- and zero-emission vehicles in all transport modes. The 
sustainable  and  smart  mobility  strategy  enhances  the  ambition  set  out  by  “Recharge  and 
refuel” European flagship under the Recovery and Resilience Facility4, that by 2025, at least 1 
million out of up to 3 million publicly accessible recharging points and 500 out of the 1 000 
hydrogen refuelling points that will be needed by 2030 should be installed on the road. It also 
notes the ambition to support ports and airports in their transition to zero- and low-emission, 
multimodal  transport,  to  support  transport  hubs  and  to  encourage  the  use  of  renewable  and 
low-carbon fuels. 

The  Commission’s  proposal  for  a  new  Regulation  on  the  deployment  of  alternative  fuels 
infrastructure is a key policy initiative to achieve the ambition set out in the sustainable and 
smart mobility strategy. This plan is published alongside the legislative proposal and outlines 
a  set  of  supplementary  actions  to  support  the  rapid  rollout  of  alternative  fuels 
infrastructure.  

Rollout  can  really  accelerate  by  improving  better  planning  and  permitting  procedures,  by 
providing targeted public support and by quickly resolving the remaining technical issues that 
cast doubt over investment. The Commission has frontloaded financial support under the EU 
budget to roll out such infrastructure. Progress in implementing the Recovery and Resilience 
Facility should greatly help market development while contributing to the recovery after the 
COVID  crisis.  Efficient  planning  and  permitting  will  also  be  a  factor  at  both  national  and 
local  levels.  This  communication  calls  for  better  cooperation  among  national  and  local 
authorities and the multiple stakeholders to spread cases of good practice quickly throughout 
the  EU.  The  Commission  has  already  begun  supporting  this  collaborative  work:  in  drafting 
this  plan,  the  Commission  drew  on  expertise  provided  by  the  Sustainable  Transport  Forum 
(STF)5, which brings together key public and private-sector market players.   

1 COM(2020) 789 final. 
2 COM(2019)  640 final. 
3 Such as rural and sparsely populated, remote and outermost, island and mountainous regions. 

4  https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/recovery-coronavirus/recovery-and-resilience-facility_en.  The  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility,  the  EU’s  recovery 

package centrepiece, combines grants and loans for a total of EUR 672.5 billion that will be distributed to Member States to aid reforms and investments.  

5 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/stf_en 

1 

 
 
 
                                                 
2   Where do we stand today?  

The  Commission  report  on  the  application  of  Directive  2014/94/EU  of  the  European 
Parliament and of the Council on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure provides a 
comprehensive assessment of the state of play of alternative fuels infrastructure rollout in the 
EU6. It shows that market maturity varies considerably, depending on the mode of transport. 
Although some Member States have raised their ambition, the EU still lacks a comprehensive 
and complete network coverage of easy-to-use infrastructure, for all modes of transport. In its 
recent  special  report7  on  infrastructure  to  charge  electric  vehicles,  the  European  Court  of 
Auditors  has  also  stressed  the  significant  differences  between  Member  States  in  deploying 
charging infrastructure and it urged them to step up action.  

In  road  transport,  there  is  now  considerable  market  momentum  for  electric  vehicles. 
Registrations  of  new  electric  vehicles  accelerated  in  many  EU  markets  in  2020,  driven  by 
increasing  model  availability,  extended  purchase  support  and 
the  requirement  for 
manufacturers to meet CO2 emission performance standards for cars and vans. By the end of 
2020, there were 2.24 million battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in 
the  Member  States.  Buses  and  trucks  accounted  for  0.3%  and  0.03%  of  the  total  electric 
vehicle  fleet,  respectively8.  However,  vehicle  uptake  remains  highly  concentrated  in  a  few 
markets.  At  individual  Member  State  level,  the  plan  and  target  share  to  achieve  by  2030 
ranges from less than 1% to over 40% of electric cars in the total car fleet9. 

Similar  to  the  uptake  of  electric  vehicles,  the  deployment  of  publicly  accessible  recharging 
infrastructure  is  also  highly  concentrated.  By  the  end  of  2020,  there  were  over  226 000 
publicly accessible recharging points across the Member States, 89% of which were normal 
power recharging points (with power equal to or less than 22 kW) and 11% were high power 
recharging points (greater than 22 kW)10. However, three Member States shared 70% of that 
infrastructure: the Netherlands, France and Germany11. The level of ambition has increased in 
some Member States, but the planned rollout of infrastructure continues to vary greatly across 
the EU.  

For CNG (compressed natural gas) vehicles, which is a mature technology, the current fleet of 
1.2  million  vehicles  is  not  expected  to  increase  significantly  over  the  coming  years12.  The 
existing  infrastructure,  comprising  some  3 642  refuelling  points  in  202013,  seems  largely 
sufficient to meet future demand. The same applies to current LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) 
infrastructure:  Member  States  do  not  anticipate  a  notable  increase  in  the  current  fleet  by 
203014.  In 2020, there were around 332  LNG (liquefied natural  gas) refuelling points in  the 
EU that served the main TEN-T transport corridors and a fleet of up to 6 000 LNG trucks.15 

6 COM(2021) 103 final. 
7 https://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADocuments/SR21_05/SR_Electrical_charging_infrastructure_EN.pdf   
8  EAFO/ICCT study: https://www.eafo.eu/sites/default/files/2021-03/EAFO%20Europe%20on%20the%20electrification%20path%20March%202021.pdf   

Increases of new vehicle registrations ~200% and higher were recorded in 8 markets, while market increases ~100%  and higher were recorded in 11 markets. EAFO is the 

European Commission’s observatory gathering all kinds of data on alternative fuels, vehicles, infrastructure and support policies in the EU. 
9 COM (2021) 103 final. 
10 https://www.eafo.eu/sites/default/files/2021-03/EAFO%20Europe%20on%20the%20electrification%20path%20March%202021.pdf  
11  https://www.eafo.eu/  
12 SWD(2020)  331 final.  
13 https://www.eafo.eu/  
14 COM (2021) 103 final. 
15 https://www.eafo.eu/  

2 

 
 
                                                 
Although  some  gaps  persist,  the  refuelling  infrastructure  already  provides  an  advanced 
network connectivity. The challenge remains to decarbonise natural gas. 

Hydrogen-powered  vehicles  remains  a  niche  market  because  of  still  high  vehicle  and  fuel 
costs and insufficient overall vehicle efficiency16. Although some Member States have set a 
high level of ambition for rollout, many lack a rollout strategy. In 2020, 125 hydrogen stations 
were in operation, highly concentrated in a few Member States, and an overall fleet of ~2000 
vehicles17.  Some  manufacturers  have  announced  series  production  of  hydrogen  fuel-cell 
trucks for the second half of this decade.  

Only a few Member States have dedicated infrastructure for biofuels (e85, ED95) to be used 
in dual fuel vehicles. The volume of registrations of these vehicles remains stable, at a very 
low level.18 

Concerning waterborne transport, there is limited data availability on the uptake of biofuels, 
alternatively  sustainably  fuelled  vessels  and  onshore  power  supply  (OPS)19  for  ships  at 
berth20.  The  total  number  of  commissioned  LNG  ships  worldwide  was  about  300  in  2019. 
Only half of those ships were in  operation;  the  other half remains on order. The number of 
electric  vessels  (including  hybrids)  in  operation  worldwide  is  similarly  low:  in  2019,  160 
ships  were  in  service  and  a  further  104  were  under  construction,  but  market  interest  is 
growing. The deployment and use of OPS remains low. At the beginning of 2021, around 50 
inland  and  maritime  ports  in  the  EU  had  at  least  one  OPS  connection  point21.  The  main 
objective of the forthcoming FuelEU Maritime initiative is to stimulate demand for alternative 
fuels  in  shipping  as  part  of  a  package  to  bring  the  sector  in  line  with  the  EU’s  ambition  of 
climate-neutrality  by  2050.  The  growth  trend  in  alternative  fuel  usage  and  zero-  or  low- 
emissions ships is therefore expected to accelerate over the coming years.  

In terms of the use of alternative fuels in rail, around 60% of the network serving 80% of all 
traffic  volume  is  electrified  and  electrification  of  rail  infrastructure  is  further  progressing. 
Complementarily,  the  first  market  orders  of  hydrogen  fuel-cell  trains  have  recently  been 
placed in several Member States22. 

Concerning  the  use  of  alternative  fuels  in  aviation,  sustainable  aviation  fuels  (advanced 
biofuels  and  renewable  synthetic  fuels)  can  already  today  be  blended  for  up  to  50%  with 
kerosene and can use the existing refuelling infrastructure. Ongoing R&I work could further 
raise  the  maximum  share  for  blending.  However,  due  to  cost  barriers  production  and  use 
remains  marginal,  accounting  for  0.05%  of  total  jet  fuel  use23.  The  forthcoming  ReFuelEU 
Aviation initiative aims to address this challenge. The airline and airports industry in the EU 
is supporting and investing in increasing the use of sustainable aviation fuels and in renewable 
energy  supply  respectively.  Many  initiatives  have  been  already  undertaken  by  airports  for 
reducing the impact of airport-level aviation (stationary aircraft electricity supply at gates and 
outfield positions).  

16 State of the art on alternative fuels transport systems in the European Union, Joint Resarch Center, https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/fd62065c-7a0b-

11ea-b75f-01aa75ed71a1 
17 https://www.eafo.eu/  
18 https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/fd62065c-7a0b-11ea-b75f-01aa75ed71a1/  and SWD(2021) 49 final. 

19 Onshore power supply (OPS) or shore side electricity. 

20 SWD(2021) 631.  

21 COM (2021) 103 final. 

22 Idem. 

23 Idem. 

3 

 
 
                                                 
 
The aviation  industry is  also  investing heavily in new electric, hybrid  and hydrogen aircraft 
technologies.  A  first  small  fully  electric  aircraft  was  certified  by  European  Aviation  Safety 
Agency (EASA) in 202024 and zero CO2 emissions aircraft for short haul commercial flights 
are  expected  over  the  next  years.  In  addition  to  these  developments,  new  concepts  for  fully 
autonomous  aircraft  (drones)  are  coming  on  stream,  providing  new  solutions  for  cargo,  but 
potentially  also  passenger  transport25.  Rolling  out  these  types  of  aircraft  will  require  a 
sufficient renewable energy supply and investment in refuelling and recharging infrastructure 
at airports. This is particularly necessary for the production and supply of hydrogen26.  

Investment needs  

The European Green Deal projects that a more than four-fold increase in electric recharging 
infrastructure  will  be  needed  by  2025  to  serve  the  expected  increase  in  the  electric  vehicle 
fleet. This illustrates the challenge for the EU in terms of rolling out recharging points over 
the coming years, and the need to invest in grid connectivity.  

For road transport, the total investment costs between 2021 and 2030 following the proposal 
for  a  new  Regulation  on  the  deployment  of  alternative  fuels  infrastructure  amount  to 
approximately  €1.5  billion  annually.  For  maritime  ports,  total  OPS  infrastructure  costs  are 
estimated to  range between €1.2 billion and €6.5 billion relative to  the baseline cost  for the 
period 2025-2050 while €3.4 billion should be spent on LNG bunkering in maritime transport 
(if ship-to-ship  technology is  used).  For inland ports,  the total  infrastructure costs regarding 
OPS  installations  are  estimated  to  range  between  €65  million  and  €412  million  above  the 
baseline cost. The impact assessment accompanying the proposal for a new Regulation on the 
deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure includes a detailed assessment of the costs and 
investment needs27. 

3  

Accelerate the rollout of alternative fuels infrastructure 

The rollout can be accelerated by improving the overall framework for planning, permitting 
and procuring such infrastructure in the EU and by both increasing and better targeting public 
support.  Moreover,  common  technical  specifications  for  vehicles,  infrastructure  and 
infrastructure use services are essential for scaling up market action, as they create certainty 
for  market  investment.  Achieving  an  early  common  understanding  on  how  to  bridge  the 
remaining standardisation gaps will facilitate such action. This plan finds a great potential to 
support  the  proposal  for  a  new  Regulation  on  the  deployment  of  alternative  fuels 
infrastructure by taking supplementary measures.  

3.1 

Better plan, permit and procure  

The distribution of  recharging and  refuelling  points  that are  actually  commercially viable is 
unevenly  spread  across  the  EU.  Public  authorities  at  all  levels  of  governance  play  an 
important  role  in  developing  this  market.  By  adjusting  their  concession  or  licence  award 

24 EASA certifies electric aircraft, first type certification for fully electric plane world-wide | EASA (europa.eu). 
25 Commercialization of electric schooling planes was reported by several companies (small, electric two-seater aircrafts).  Such niche  markets do not dramatically reduce 

CO2 or air pollution, but enable interesting high-tech development chances for European industries on the world markets. 

26  On  this  point,  a  recent  announcement  from  Airbus  moved  the  target  for  widely  used  hydrogen  planes  forward  (>2050):  https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-

defense/airbus-tells-eu-hydrogen-wont-be-widely-used-planes-before-2050-2021-06-10/). 

27 SWD(2021) 631.  

4 

 
 
 
                                                 
procedures, public procurement procedures or grant award procedures, public authorities can 
help shape market developments in this area: 

  Public  support  to  install  recharging  and  refuelling  points  remains  necessary  in  many 
cases. The authorities will have to plan these works properly, while also stipulating the 
right minimum requirements and service standards that allow for market competition, 
positive user experience and that avoid locking in specific technology solutions.  

  Planning and permitting are also important factors that influence the overall speed and 
scale of infrastructure rollout: already today, charge-point operators face difficulties in 
finding suitable locations in some instances. The time needed to get permits to install 
the infrastructure can vary considerably by location, particularly for grid connections. 
Where the rollout with private investments is not taking place due to market failures, 
State  aid  rules  allow  Member  States  to  cover  some  of  the  costs  for  obtaining  the 
necessary permits. 

for 

  Concession  procedures  can  be  a  further  constraint.  Consultations  in  the  Sustainable 
Transport  Forum  underlined  that  licencing,  concessions  and  public  procurement  
processes 
large-scale   
investments/concessions)  or  regional  players  (for  local  investments).  This  is  in 
particular  true  for  concession  practises  (especially  on  highways  but  also  in  urban 
areas)  where  a  lack  of  transparency  and  competition  in  the  award  procedure  and  an 
inappropriate duration of concessions were considered to be the most pressing issues28. 

stations  often 

recharging 

favour 

larger 

(for 

  Public authorities  must also  consider how to  allocate in  an optimal way increasingly 
scarce  space  among  competing  demands  (e.g.  for  walking  or  cycling,  recreation  or 
recharging  vehicles).  The  deployment  of  recharging  and  refuelling  infrastructure  has 
to be considered as part of the overall sustainable urban mobility planning.  

If  these  procedures  are  done  properly,  public  authorities  are  in  a  powerful  position  to 
stimulate  and  accelerate  the  deployment  of  future-proof,  state-of-the-art,  cost-efficient, 
energy-efficient,  grid-beneficial,  truly  interoperable  and  user-friendly  solutions  with  high 
service standards. In this context, it is important to learn from the experience of frontrunners, 
avoid mistakes and borrow the practices that have proven to be successful. 

To  address  this  need,  the  Sustainable  Transport  Forum  has  already  drawn  up  a  set  of 
Recommendations for public authorities for procuring, awarding concessions, licences and/or 
granting support for electric recharging infrastructure for passenger cars and vans  (the 2020 
STF recommendations for recharging point tenders) 29, as well as a summary Handbook30. 

The  Recommendations  are  designed  as  practical  guidelines  for  public  authorities  that  are 
either  looking  to  procure  recharging  infrastructure  or  to  award  concessions  for  their  rollout 
the  granting  of  government  support.  The 
and/or  operation,  possibly 
Recommendations  include  off-the-shelf  best  practice  examples,  ready  for  use  by  national, 
regional and local authorities. 

linked 

to 

A  dedicated  STF  sub-group  has  been  established  early  2021  to  function  as  a  platform  for 
exchange between public authorities on all matters to promote and facilitate the development 

28  2019 Stakeholder consultation | Mobility and Transport (europa.eu). 
29 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/default/files/sustainable_transport_forum_report_-_recommendations_for_public_authorities_on_recharging_infrastructure.pdf 
30 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/default/files/stf_handbook.pdf 

5 

 
 
                                                 
of  high  quality  recharging  infrastructure.  This  “sub-group  on  best  practices  of  public 
authorities  to  support  the  deployment  of  recharging  infrastructure”  shall,  amongst  others, 
update  the  Recommendations  and  summary  Handbook  at  regular  intervals,  and  discuss 
possible  approaches  to  harmonization  and  simplification  of  permitting  and  grid  connection 
procedures.  It  shall  also  propose  additional  recommendations,  for  instance  to  deploy 
recharging infrastructure for specialised and captive fleets, and develop  a European toolbox 
grouping  best  practices  on  a  thematic  basis.  First  deliverables  are  expected  in  the  course  of 
2022  and  will  be  made  available  on  a  new  dedicated  Knowledge  Platform  for  public 
authorities as part of the European Alternative Fuels Observatory (‘EAFO’). 

Good practice in Member States on planning, permitting and procurement  

In  the  Netherlands,  Metropolitan  Region  Amsterdam-Electric  (MRA-Electric)  supports  municipalities  in 
the  provinces  of  North-Holland,  Flevoland  and  Utrecht  in  developing  and  implementing  EV  policies. The 
municipalities  share  experience  and  knowledge,  develop  demonstration  projects,  develop  standard 
documents/templates for use by all, and jointly procure/manage recharging infrastructure. The cooperation 
has  created  an  interoperable  recharging  network  in  the  main  cities  and  in  the  surrounding  municipalities 
(hinterland). In early 2020, MRA-E announced the selection of the concessionaire of the biggest EU tender 
for recharging infrastructure thus far: 20,000 new recharging points! For details, see https://www.mra-e.nl/  

In  Belgium,  the Flemish Region organises an annual tender for and on behalf of interested  municipalities 
through the distribution system operator. The  regional concession ensures that the infrastructure  meets the 
same requirements and prevents smaller closed networks (interoperability). Participation is voluntary: larger 
cities such as Leuven, Ghent and Antwerp have chosen to organise their own tenders. 

In  Germany,  the  federal  government  created  an  online  tool  to  plan  recharging  infrastructure  called  the 
“StandortTool”,  which  shows  with  high  spatial  resolution  (zones)  whether  there  is  a  low  or  high  need  for 
additional  recharging  infrastructure.  The  tool  combines  data  on  the  existing  vehicle  fleet,  the  existing 
recharging infrastructure stock and the transport patterns of German drivers. For each zone, the StandortTool 
also provides information on how to connect to the medium-voltage grid. In doing so, potential investors can 
get a first idea of the potential costs of connecting a recharging station to the grid at any given location. The 
StandortTool can also project future expected needs (with a time horizon of 2022 and 2030). 

The  European  Commission  encourages  Member  States  to  cooperate  further  on  these 
matters  and  invites  them  to  make  use  of  the  recommendations  of  the  STF.  Where 
necessary,  Member  States  are  invited  to  reinforce  their  policy  frameworks  to  ensure 
better planning, permitting and procurement.  

3.2  Make best use of national recovery and resilience planning  

The Annual Growth Strategy 2021 (AGS 2021) identified investment in sustainable transport 
as one of the key priorities for the national recovery and resilience plans (RRPs), packages of 
reforms  and  investments  that  will  be  prepared  by  Member  States  in  the  context  of  the 
Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility.  It  calls  in  particular  to  include  in  the  RRPs  reforms  and 
investments to boost demand for zero- and low-emission vehicles and to accelerate the rollout 
of recharging and refuelling infrastructure in order to contribute to the green transition.  

The AGS 2021 also proposed creating under the Recovery and Resilience Facility a European 
flagship  initiative  named  ‘Recharge  and  refuel’31,  with  the  aim  of  promoting  future-proof 

31 https://ec.europa.eu/info/files/example-component-reforms-and-investments-clean-smart-and-fair-urban-mobility_en 

6 

 
 
 
 
                                                 
 
clean  technologies  to  accelerate  the  use  of  sustainable,  accessible  and  smart  transport, 
charging  and  refuelling  stations  and  to  expand  public  transport.  Moreover,  the  ‘Power  up’ 
flagship  lays  the  foundation  for  hydrogen  lead  markets  in  Europe  and  the  related 
infrastructure, which will also contribute to sustainable mobility. 

In  response,  many  Member  States  are  planning  to  include  investments  and  reforms  that 
contribute to those priorities in the transport and energy components of their national RRPs. 
Of  particular  relevance  in  this  context  are  measures  to  accelerate  the  renewal  of  public 
transport  and  private  fleets  with  zero-  and  low-emission  vehicles,  rolling  stock  and  vessels 
and  to  support  the  deployment  of  alternative  fuels  recharging  and  refuelling  infrastructure, 
both for roads and for ports. Furthermore, the RRPs offer the opportunity to include specific 
requirements on streamlining permitting for charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, 
contributing  to  address  administrative  barriers.  Many  good  examples  can  be  found  amongst 
the  RRPs  already  submitted  by  Member  States,  underlying  the  value  added  of  RRP 
investment  for  the  transition  to  a  sustainable  and  smart  mobility  system.  In  most  Member 
States,  the  measures  are  due  to  be  implemented  in  cooperation  with  regional  and  local 
authorities and/or in partnership with private operators to maximise leverage effects.  

All  Member  States  have  been  encouraged  to  make  full  use  of  all  the  funding  made 
available  to  them,  be  it  under  the  form  of  non-repayable  support  or  loans.  As  with 
electricity-related  projects,  cross-border  interlinkages  of  alternative  fuels  infrastructure 
projects  are  encouraged.  Contacts  during  the  planning  and  implementation  process  can 
strongly contribute to maximising the benefits of RRF-supported investment. This process of 
exchanging  best  practices  may  be  aided  by  the  Commission’s  Technical  Support 
Instrument (TSI)32, which  has a budget of €864  million EUR for 2021-2027. Under this 
instrument, Member States can request technical support inter alia to implement their national 
recovery and resilience plans, including in aspects linked to the green transition. In addition, 
in the context of the TSI financing cycle for 2022, Member States may request support in line 
with a proposed Flagship technical support project on “Recharge and Refuel”, which focuses 
on measures enhancing the rollout of alternative fuels infrastructure, including in the context 
of sustainable urban mobility.  

Clear  descriptions  of  priorities  and  objectives  together  with  well-designed  investments  and 
reform  projects  provide  the  necessary  clarity  and  ensure  high  impact  and  value  added.  The 
extent to which RRPs support the development of alternative fuels infrastructure will be 
taken  into  consideration  by  the  Commission  when  assessing  whether  the  plans 
contribute  to  the  green  transition,  which  is  part  of  the  assessment  criteria  set  by  the 
RRF Regulation.   

State aid rules also apply to projects funded by the Facility where due to market failures the 
market left on its own does not yield the required investments to support the switch to clean 
mobility.  The  Commission  has  provided  specific  guidance  for  State  aid  for  recharging  and 
refuelling infrastructure  for road vehicles, which should be duly considered33. The State aid 
rules  cover  investment  in  deploying  infrastructure  to  supply  electricity,  hydrogen  or,  where 
necessary  as  a  transitional  solution,  gas  to  vehicles,  including  electric  two-wheelers,  cars, 
vans, trucks, buses or vessels (recharging or refuelling infrastructure), irrespective of whether 

32  Regulation (EU) 2021/240 of the European Parliament and of the Council  of 10 February 2021 establishing a Technical Support Instrument. 

33 https://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/what_is_new/template_RFF_electric_and_hydrogen_charging_stations.pdf 

7 

 
 
                                                 
the  infrastructure  is  for  the  beneficiary’s  own  use,  semi-public  infrastructure  or  publicly 
accessible infrastructure34. 

Depending on the project in question, several State aid instruments are available to Member 
States35.  The  General  Block  Exemptions  Regulation  should  be  amended  in  due  time  to 
allow  certain  support  for  recharging  and  refuelling  infrastructure  and  to  simplify  the 
implementation  of  such  projects.  Work  is  also  ongoing  to  revise  the  energy  and 
environmental State aid guidelines to include specific rules for assessing aid schemes for 
recharging and refuelling infrastructure36.     

3.3 

Reinforce  and  better  target  funding  at  EU  level,  attract  private  investment  and 
increase capacity  

The  EU  is  already  indirectly  and  directly  mobilising  additional  public  investment  to  help 
unlock  private  funds  for  the  deployment  of  alternative  fuels  infrastructure.  Under  this  MFF 
financing period 2014-2020, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) has been instrumental in 
supporting  the  rollout  of  20 450  recharging  and  refuelling  points:  19 236  EV  recharging 
points, 130 hydrogen refuelling points, 1 050 road LCNG refuelling points (809 CNG and 241 
LNG) and LNG refuelling points or/and OPS in 7 inland and 27 maritime ports37. The EU’s 
multiannual budget for 2021-2027 provides a substantial increase in support for the rollout of 
alternative  fuels  infrastructure.  Member  States  and  other  stakeholders  can  draw  on  a  wide 
range of complementary funds and financial instruments.  

Fully  in  step  with  the  European  Green  Deal,  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility 
Programme 2021-2027 (CEF II) will address climate change and contribute 60% of its 
overall budget to co-financing initiatives that support climate objectives and accelerate 
the transition to zero-emission mobility. To this end, CEF II will create an Alternative 
Fuels  Facility  (AFF).  It  will  fund  alternative  fuels  infrastructure  for  renewable  and  low-
carbon  fuels  by  the  combination  of  CEF  grants  with  financing  from  finance  institutions  to 
achieve a higher impact of the investment. The European Investment Bank (EIB) will not be 
the  sole  implementing  partner;  other  national  promotional  banks  can  also  facilitate  the 
blending operation.  

The  new  facility  intends  to  adjust  to  market  developments,  reflecting  the  specific  needs  for 
heavy-duty  recharging  and  refuelling  infrastructure.  In  this  respect,  the  Commission  also 
intends  to  define  an  appropriate  fixed  co-funding  rate  for  electricity38  and  hydrogen 
alternative  fuels  infrastructure  projects  for  all  modes  of  transport39  both  under  the  CEF 
general envelope and under the Cohesion envelope with a proportionally aligned co-funding 
rate40. The Commission will support only recharging points of 150 kW or over, particularly in 
the  parts  of  the  TEN-T  road  network  that  have  not  yet  reached  a  sufficient  infrastructure 

34 Separate rules exist for supporting the purchase of electric or other zero- or low-emission road vehicles. 

https://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/what_is_new/template_RFF_premiums_acquisition_low_emission_vehicles.pdf. 

35 These include, for example, the provisions of the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), aid compatible directly under Article 107(3)(c) TFEU, Environmental 
and Energy Aid Guidelines, Regional Aid Guidelines or rules related to compensation for carrying out a public service obligation. 
36  Public  consultation  on  the  revised  Climate,  Energy  and  Environmental  Aid  Guidelines  (CEEAG):  https://ec.europa.eu/competition-policy/public-consultations/2021-

ceeag_nl.  

37 These indicative figures do not yet include the CEF grants under preparation following the Blending Facility (4th cut-off) call.  

38 E.g. bus depots infrastructure or supply infrastructure and ground operations in TEN-T maritime and inland ports and airports.  

39 Under CEF II, the costs related to vehicles or vessels will not be eligible, except in the case of inland waterway and short sea shipping, if an initial number of vessels is 

needed to kick-start the use of the supported recharging/refuelling infrastructure. 

40 The ratio of AFF co-funding rates vs the maximum co-funding rate of 50% under the general envelope was proportionally applied for the cohesion AFF co-funding rate vs 

the maximum co-funding rate of 85% under the cohesion envelope.  

8 

 
 
                                                 
coverage.  In  order  to  simplify  the  management  and  implementation  of  the  Facility,  for  the 
funding  of  ultra-fast  recharging  points41,  the  Commission  will  use  unit  contributions, 
including the grid connection cost42, as simplified form of funding.  

On the TEN-T road network insufficient availability of ultra-fast recharging points is proving 
a key challenge in enabling cross-border travel over longer distances. Only a few parts of the 
network have at least one fast recharging point every 60 km. Similarly, the supply on the road 
network of hydrogen refuelling stations is fragmented. Equipping inland and maritime ports 
with  sufficient  sustainable  alternative  fuels  infrastructure  remains  another  key  priority.  In 
order  to  enable  a  geographically  targeted  deployment  of  ultra-fast  recharging  points,  the 
Commission will provide an infrastructure gap analysis for alternative fuels infrastructure on 
the basis of the TEN-Tec maps43. In the future this analysis will include implementing routing 
and identifying hotspots/seasonal peaks based on historical traffic flow. 

In many cases,  due to  the high concentration of potential users, urban areas are  expected to 
attract more private investment than other areas. Therefore, recharging infrastructure for the 
public transport fleet is a key priority for public funding, complementing the deployment of 
zero-emission  buses  in  cities.  For  example,  this  would  cover  recharging  infrastructure  in 
depots, opportunity-based charging devices and related energy storage facility systems. 

To  maximise  the  impact  of  private  investments,  the  Commission  will  actively  seek 
synergies  with  Horizon  Europe  partnerships  and  missions,  in  particular  the  proposed 
Mission on Climate Neutral  and Smart  Cities44, which  aims to  make 100 cities  climate 
neutral  by  2030,  as  part  of  the  European  Green  Deal.  Stimulating  sustainable  urban 
transport  and  mobility  will  be  key  aspect  of  the  mission,  which  will  offer  opportunities  for 
cities who want to invest in zero emissions public transport and associated infrastructure.  

Investment  made  under  this  mission  can  make  a  positive  contribution  to  the  rollout  of 
recharging infrastructure in cities. This process would include setting both publicly accessible 
recharging  points  and  ducting  and  wiring  buildings  and  parking  lots  for  private  vehicle 
recharging. Likewise, Horizon Europe partnerships with industry and Member States through 
the  Clean  Energy  Transition  partnership,  provides  funding  opportunities  for  research  and 
development  in  these  areas.  The  2Zero  and  Batteries  Partnerships  and  the  Clean  Hydrogen 
Joint  Undertaking45  include  specific  focus  on  recharging  and  refuelling  infrastructure 
development,  in  areas  such  as  V2G  and  pervasive  on-road  recharging  infrastructure  or 
protocols for fast truck charging and hydrogen refuelling. The Commission has also launched 
a flagship initiative on batteries, with an additional € 200 million to support European battery 
development and innovation (‘Battery 2030+’). The Innovation Fund will support innovative 
and low-carbon technologies and will help businesses bring to the market industrial solutions 
to support the transition to climate neutrality.  

41 Considering the rapid decrease of costs for the electro-mobility market segment, as well as the low level of information in the literature analysis on the costs of recharging 

points with power capacity of 350 kW, the level of co-funding rate is more conservative. However, in terms of value (EUR) the unit contribution for a recharging point of 
minimum 350 kW is double the unit contribution of a recharging point of minimum 150 kW. 
42 The unit contribution of the grid connection will be conditional on the deployment of a minimum four recharging points (noting that 350 kW can count for 2 of 150 kW). 

43 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/infrastructure/tentec/tentec-portal/site/index_en.htm   

44https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/missions-horizon-europe/climate-

neutral-and-smart-cities_en 
45https://ec.europa.eu/info/files/european-partnership-towards-zero-emission-road-transport-2zero_en; 
https://bepassociation.eu/about/batt4eu-partnership/; https://www.fch.europa.eu/. 

9 

 
 
                                                 
Cohesion policy will play a central role in helping all regions in their transition towards 
a greener,  climate  neutral  Europe  and  ensuring  that  no  region  is  left  behind.  The 
European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund are available to support 
investment in research, innovation and deployment, in particular in the less developed 
Member  States  and  regions.  Cohesion  policy  will  offer  support,  covering  all  transport 
modes and all levels of the transport system, from TEN-T to local mobility, in line with the 
specific requirements and priorities identified in the national and regional programmes. 

The InvestEU programme46, notably through its Sustainable Infrastructure window, can 
bolster  future-proof  investment  across  the  European  Union,  help  mobilise  private 
investment and provide advisory services to project promoters and operators working in 
sustainable infrastructure and mobile assets. InvestEU guarantee can support financing of 
more risky project promoters such as SMEs and innovative companies in the areas of smart 
and sustainable transport. It can also support measures to promote skills, education, training 
and related services under the InvestEU ‘Social investment and skills’ window. Moreover, it 
will  also  be  possible  to  combine  CEF  grant  with  (InvestEU)  guarantee  under  InvestEU 
blending operation.  

In  recent  years,  the  EIB  Group  has  also  ramped  up  its  support  to  accelerate  newer 
technologies  such  as  e-mobility  and  digitalisation  under  the  Cleaner  Transport 
Facility47.  The  EIB  Group  will  continue  providing  a  range  of  financing  structures  to  help 
accelerate the deployment of cleaner mobile assets.  

Lastly, the Commission has taken major steps to make the financial system more sustainable, 
notably  by  adopting  in  2020  the  Taxonomy  Regulation48,  which  established  a  classification 
system  for  green  economic  activities.  This  will  facilitate  the  scaling  up  of  green  financial 
products, such as green bonds and green securitisation, suitable to promote investment in the 
deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure for all modes of transport.  

3.4 

Identify outstanding technological challenges and accelerate standardisation  

Standardisation is an essential way to create economies of scale and a mature internal market 
for  this  sector.  Under  Directive  2014/94/EU  on  the  deployment  of  alternative  fuels 
infrastructure,  major  sets  of  common  technical  specifications  for  electricity,  hydrogen  and 
natural gas supply for road, maritime transport and inland navigation have been adopted. This 
is  the  result  of  the  work  carried  out  by  European  standardisation  organisations,  following  a 
Commission standardisation request in 2015 (Mandate 533)49. Despite the progress achieved 
and the support to the market growth, there are still many outstanding needs, particularly as a 
result of new technological developments and higher digital and communication requirements 
in all modes of transport.  

It  is  important  that  from  today  the  EU  has  a  ‘future-proof’  alternative  fuels  infrastructure 
network. To ensure the deployment of recharging and refuelling infrastructure in  a coherent 

46 https://europa.eu/investeu/investeu-fund/about-investeu-fund_en  
47 https://www.eib.org/en/projects/sectors/transport/cleaner-transport-facility  

48 Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and 

amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088. 

49 Commission Implementing Decision  C(2015) 1330 final of 12.3.2015 on a standardisation request addressed to the European standardisation organisations, in accordance 

with Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council, to draft European standards for alternative fuels infrastructure. 

10 

 
 
 
                                                 
manner, it is crucial to have a common understanding of the specific technological needs that 
are to be addressed for the different fuels in every mode of transport. To this respect, there is 
an  urgent  need  to  conclude  the  technological  approach  for  the  deployment  of  hydrogen 
refuelling infrastructure  for heavy-duty vehicles, in  particular, on the final  standard form of 
the fuel (liquefied or compressed, and pressure level). Therefore, the definition of a common 
market direction on the rollout of alternative fuels infrastructure, taking into account vehicle, 
infrastructure  and  production/distribution  aspects,  will  be  determining  for  a  timely 
deployment in a holistic manner.    

The  adaptation  of  alternative  fuels  infrastructure  to  the  needs  of  disabled  persons  has  also 
been high on the agenda. The Accessibility Act50 already sets minimum requirements at EU 
level,  but  they  need  to  be  properly  enforced.  These  include  requirements  on  payment 
terminals,  certain  transport  services  and  infrastructure,  including  recharging  stations51.  The 
Commission  will  prepare  guidelines  and  exchange  good  practices,  together  with  the 
Sustainable Transport Forum, to promote these requirements in the rollout of alternative fuels 
infrastructure. 

For  road  transport,  standardisation  work  has  focused  on  electro-technical  issues,  such  as 
plugs,  outlets  and  electrical  safety  specifications.  To  achieve  full  interoperability  across  all 
parts  of  the  electric  vehicle  recharging  ecosystem,  there  is  now  an  urgent  need  to  further 
standardise  communication  interfaces  and  develop  new  data  models  to  integrate  electric 
vehicles  into  the  grid,  including  building’s  energy  management  systems,  and  to  foster  the 
development of EU-wide e-roaming networks. In particular, electric recharging and hydrogen 
refuelling  points  for  heavy  duty  vehicles  are  priority  for  standardisation.  The  Commission 
will work together with the European standardisation organisations and bodies to adopt 
a new standardisation request: 

 

 

 

to  ensure  full  interoperability  of  the  electric  vehicle  recharging  ecosystem,  including 
communication among all parts of this ecosystem  (vehicle manufacturers, recharging 
point  operators,  mobility  service  providers,  e-roaming  platforms  and  distribution 
system operators); 

to  help  bringing  to  market  emerging  technologies  such  as  smart  recharging  and 
vehicle-to-grid  (V2G)  services,  which  will  be  also  the  subject  of  R&D  and 
demonstration  projects  under  the  new  Horizon  Europe    programme  (including  the 
adopted  Work  Programme  of  the  European  Commission  Joint  Research  Centre)  and 
the Mission on Climate Neutral and Smart Cities;   

to formulate specific requirements for recharging heavy-duty vehicles, including high-
amperage plugs, outlets, cooling technologies, and communication interfaces built on 
the  basis  of  the  European  technical  specifications  already  developed  for  light-duty 
vehicles;  a  special  effort  in  view  of  pre-normative  research  and  testing  methodology 
developments will be needed in order to support the competitiveness and reliability of 
EU R&D and industry in these technologies; 

 

to cover the development of standards for electric road systems, designed to transmit 
electrical energy to vehicles while moving;  

50 Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services. 
51  Here  the  foundation  heights  added  to  a  charging  columns  should  be  considered  in  order  to  correctly  adapt  this  component  of  infrastructure  to  the  needs  of  disabled 

persons. 

11 

 
 
                                                 
 

to  facilitate  the  introduction  of  wireless  recharging  technology,  both  in  static  and 
dynamic form, achieving power transfers sufficient to meet the different vehicle types 
and  user  needs;  particular  attention  will  be  necessary 
to  ensure  sufficient 
electromagnetic  compatibility  of  these  technologies  with  existing  communication 
bands under reasonably and realistically defined conditions; 

 

to  formulate  technical  specifications  for  hydrogen  refuelling  points  dispensing 
liquefied and compressed hydrogen for heavy-duty vehicles. 

In  this  context,  it  is  important  to  build  consensus  between  the  many  stakeholders  that  form 
part of the recharging ecosystem on the future design of a governance framework for vehicle-
to-grid  communication.  The  framework  should  be  based  on  open  and  transparent  principles 
and result in a European ecosystem that is easily accessible for all parties. The Commission 
will  coordinate  to  ensure  the  process  of  developing  this  framework  is  effective  and 
transparent. 
For  the  rail  sector52,  the  European  Agency  for  the  Railways  is  leading  the  development  of 
technical  requirements  and  specifications  in  cooperation  with  operators,  rolling  stock 
manufacturers  and  fuel-cell  manufacturers.  To  achieve  this,  it  is  crucial  to  factor  in  safe 
installation  and  performance  testing.  Considering  these  technical  requirements,  the  Agency 
issues authorisations for putting rail vehicles into service and facilitates the commercialisation 
of  rail  vehicles  and  trains  across  Member  States.  Over  the  coming  years,  three  specific 
technological  barriers  need  to  be  overcome  before  hydrogen  fuel-cell  technology  can  be 
considered for trains as commercially viable. These barriers are: 

 

large-scale demonstration of multiple-unit train fleets; 

  development,  engineering  and  prototype  operation  of  shunters  or  mainline 

locomotives; 

 

technology  development  for  optimised  hydrogen  storage  system  for  Fuel  Cell 
Hydrogen (FCH) rail applications. 

These  three  high-priority  topics  will  be  the  focus  of  R&I  work,  possibly  by  stepping  up 
coordination between future European Partnership for transforming Europe’s rail system and 
European Partnership for Clean Hydrogen.  

Most  of  the  remaining  technological  barriers  concern  the  optimisation  potential  required  to 
enable  FCH  technology  to  better  compete  with  diesel  or  electric  trains.  Concretely,  the 
optimisation potential depends directly on the  FCH train  itself, however, there is  also  much 
room  for  improvement  and  development  in  the  corresponding  hydrogen  refuelling 
infrastructure as well as in the service and maintenance systems. 

In  addition,  technological  development  in  the  rail  sector  faces  a  fragmented  regulatory 
environment  in  terms  of  both  European  (technical  specifications  for  interoperability)  and 
national  (NNTR  –  notified  national  technical  rules)  technical  requirements.  This  has  a  high 
impact,  especially  since  several  types  of  trains  are  required  to  cover  the  whole  European 
market. Pending the development of European technical requirements and specific standards, 
FCH powered trains could face market fragmentation leading to higher fixed costs, penalising 
the front runners if a new regulatory environment is designed for all types of use.  

New ideas  may  render the rollout of electric vehicle recharging infrastructure and advanced 
rail  technology  synergistically.  For  example,  in  possible  future  open  car-transportation 

52 https://shift2rail.org/publications/study-on-the-use-of-fuel-cells-and-hydrogen-in-the-railway-environment/. 

12 

 
 
                                                 
wagons,  specific  converter  components,  adapted  to  the  different,  and  somewhat  variable 
voltage  and  frequencies  of  electric  trains  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  standardised  recharging 
technology on the EVs’ side, are needed, as well as safe cabling solutions, in accordance with 
rail safety standards.  

For maritime transport and inland navigation, the development of standards is fundamental 
to  move  from  high-level  action,  such  as  the  work  under  the  International  Maritime 
Organisation  Conventions/Codes53  and  operational  or 
implementation.  The 
importance  of  international  standards  in  ports,  in  particular  for  the  ship-shore  interface  in 
international maritime ports, is directly related to the promotion of safety and confidence in 
the  development  of  sustainable  alternative  fuels  (alcohols,  ammonia,  hydrogen,  other)  or 
electrification solutions (such as OPS and battery charging). It is also important in promoting 
local  availability,  which  could  create  additional  storage,  distribution  and  therefore  limited 
infrastructure  needs  of  same  kind  (e.g.  for  advanced  biofuels),  particularly  relevant  when 
several fuel solutions will co-exist in combination with fuel-flexible engines.  

technical 

In  that  context,  and  as  part  of  the  Commission’s  2015  standardisation  request  (Mandate 
533)54,  interoperability  standards  for  maritime  and  inland  navigation  have  been  developed, 
notably  for  onshore  plugs.  The  European  Maritime  Safety  Agency  (EMSA)  has  also 
developed in cooperation with Member States and industry the ‘Guidance on LNG Bunkering 
for  port  authorities  and  administrations’55.  Similarly,  EMSA  is  currently  developing 
guidance on OPS. Both guides complement existing standards, guidelines and industry best 
practice, with the aim of providing best practice recommendations.   

The  upcoming  standardisation  needs  identified  for  waterborne  transport  can  be  classified  in 
two strands:  

1)  the  development  of  further  specifications  for  electricity  supply,  including  shore-side 
battery recharging points, port-to-grid communication interface in automated OPS for 
each  technical  category  of  vessels  and  battery  swapping  and  recharging  at  onshore 
stations for inland waterways vessels;  

2)  the  development  of  new  standards  for  sustainable  hydrogen,  ammonia  and  methanol 
fuel  bunkering  for  maritime  and  inland  waterways  vessels.  These  are  a  medium-to-
long-term  technological  development  in  line  with  greenhouse  gas  reduction  targets, 
expected to be ready by the mid-2020s. 

For  air  transport,  standardisation  work  is  focusing  on  new  European  standards  to 
support an interoperable infrastructure for electricity supply for general aviation56 and 
aircraft  with  specific  applications  such  as  electric  vertical  and  take  off  landing 
(eVTOL)57.  These  standards  are  expected  to  be  adopted  by  the  end  of  2021  and  2022, 
respectively.  Generally,  new  standards  should  draw  on  existing  expertise  and  technological 
developments led by recent type certification of small electric aircraft. For hydrogen, there are 
currently  no  standardisation  activities  ongoing  for  refuelling  points  as  hydrogen-powered 
aircraft are still in very early stages projects of certification. The EASA  is contributing to this 
process  with  EU  and  non-EU  standardisation  bodies  and  other  specialised  bodies.  The 
standards  for  eVTOL  and  general  aviation  are  being  drawn  up  in  cooperation  with  industry 

53  Interim  Guidelines  on  Safe  Operation  of  On-shore  Power  Supply  (OPS)  Service  in  Port  for  Ships  Engaged  on  International  Voyages  prepared  in  the  framework  of 

International Maritime organisation.  

54 Commission Implementing Decision C(2015)1330 final of 12.3.2015. 

55 http://www.emsa.europa.eu/publications/inventories/item/3207-guidance-on-lng-bunkering-to-port-authorities-and-administrations.html 
56 SAE AS6968 Conductive Charging Standard for Light Electric Aircraft. 
57 High level charging requirements SC VTOL 2430. 

13 

 
 
                                                 
and  international  aviation  organisations  to  ensure  the  interoperability  of  connections  in 
airports  outside  the  European  Union.  No  standardisation  activities  are  ongoing  for  large 
airplanes as, unlike for eVTOL and general aviation, there are no ongoing projects of electric 
or hybrid large airplanes for certification yet. 

3.5 

Development of a data and governance framework to make the electro-mobility 
ecosystem work effectively  

Particularly  in  electro-mobility,  the  availability  of  and  accessibility  to  high-quality  data  is 
becoming  essential  for  new  services  and  product  features  supporting  mass-market  use.  In  a 
market  comprising  millions  of  vehicles  and  charging  points,  it  is  essential  to  connect  users 
and infrastructure efficiently by providing seamless, user-centric solutions.  

The  Commission  is  aiding  a  Programme  Support  Action  on  “Data  collection  related  to 
recharging/refuelling points for alternative fuels and the unique identification codes related to 
e-mobility  actors”  (PSA  IDACS)  with  Member  States  to  improve  data  collection  on 
alternative fuels infrastructure, to identify other potential needs and to improve the creation of 
new  digital  services  by  facilitating  business-to-government  (B2G),  business-to-business 
(B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) data interactions.  

At  present,  basic  data  regarding  alternative  fuels  infrastructure,  such  as  their  location  and 
availability,  are  often  not  shared  or  available.  These  data  must  be  created,  when  necessary, 
and made available in an easy manner and at no cost, through a common data architecture. In 
consequence,  the  recharging  and  refuelling  infrastructure  must  be  capable  of  handling  the 
necessary  data  requirements  through  an  interoperable  data  infrastructure  that  endorses  data 
sharing  for  the  public  interest.  On  this  basis,  advanced  digital  services  can  be  provided  to 
consumers,  so  as  to  allow  new  business  opportunities  to  emerge  and  user  experiences  to 
improve hand in hand. This is evident for data on prices: users of an electric vehicle should 
know what they will pay at any given recharging point before they actually drive to it, so they 
can make an informed decision that meets their needs. Transparent sharing of data on prices  
will moreover support the development of fair prices for e-roaming across the EU.  

The creation of new services that will improve the overall quality and user-friendliness of the 
alternative fuels infrastructure will strongly depend on the openness of the data generated (e.g. 
access  to  in-vehicle  data)  in  the  whole  ecosystem,  and  the  potential  connectivity  with  data 
from other sectors, such as e-commerce, insurance, banking or telecommunications. 

The  European  Alternative  Fuel  Observatory  (EAFO)  already  makes  available  online 
important  data  on  alternative  fuels  infrastructure58,  including  by  displaying  these  on  an 
interactive map, with a focus on policy monitoring. Its functionality will be improved in the 
future,  amongst  others  by  including  a  new  Knowledge  Platform  for  public  authorities  (see 
section 3.2 above) and a consumer information section. In addition, EAFO has the potential to 
become the common European access point for the accessibility and reuse of real time data on 
alternative fuels infrastructure.   

the  electro-mobility  data  ecosystem  also 

Importantly, 
recharging 
infrastructure,  namely  recharging  points  in  residential  and  office  buildings,  airports  or  bus 
depots.  It  is  crucial  to  put  in  place  proper  systems  to  monitor  and  exchange  data  between 

includes  private 

58 www.eafo.eu  

14 

 
 
 
                                                 
public  and  private  recharging  infrastructure  and  the  electricity  grid,  creating  a  consistent 
technological  framework,  particularly  in  view  of  enabling  smart  and  bidirectional  (V2G) 
recharging, which is essential for integrating electric vehicles into the grid.  

As  a  result,  there  is  an  urgent  need  to  ensure  that  the  new  alternative  fuels  infrastructure 
deployed  in  Europe  is  capable  of  transmitting  real  time  information,  facilitating  new  digital 
services  and  the  integration  of  electric  vehicles  into  the  grid.  To  this  end,  it  is  necessary  to 
create a European level  playing  field,  based on a common set  of technological  features and 
market governance rules underpinning an agile and resilient data-driven ecosystem.  

The  essential  elements  for  the  creation  of  a  smart  data  ecosystem  and  its  governance 
framework include:  

  digitally-connected recharging  infrastructure that can provide smart and  bidirectional 

 

(V2G) recharging services and is easily upgradeable to this end;  
recharging  infrastructure  equipped  with  the  necessary  hardware  and  software 
component, and compliant with the relevant standards, enabling an interoperable flow 
of information to back-end structures and to other market players;  

  availability of essential, defined data types to enable the development of new services 
expected  to  meet  users’  needs  for  different  vehicle  types  (e.g.  LDVs  vs  HDVs), 
including seamless localisation, booking, payment and fair billing processes; 
implementation of harmonised and user-friendly payment solutions, including ad hoc 
and  contract-based  payment  options,  considering  specific  needs  for  electro-mobility 
service providers (EMSPs)59 as enablers of e-roaming60 networks that meet daily user 
needs; 

 

  specifying  the  data  dimensions  required  (aggregation,  quality,  sharing,  reusability, 
etc.)  to  enable  the  creation  of  advanced  digital  services,  and  a  map  of  the  roles  and 
responsibilities of the different market players within the ecosystem.  

In a similar manner, it will also be important to develop data ecosystems for other alternative 
fuels  (clean H2, bio-LNG bio-methane,  renewable and low-carbon fuels  and other  advanced 
biofuel solutions) that fulfil specific market demands, in particular when using the same fuel-
pipeline as chemically identical fossil fuel solutions. Overall, demand for data and the quality 
and  frequency  of  information  flows  will  depend  on  the  intrinsic  characteristics  of  the 
recharging  and  refuelling  process  and  the  data  needed  to  ensure  the  adequate  use  of 
infrastructure for each fuel and vehicle type.    

In  coordination  with  ongoing  work  streams  to  develop  the  mobility  data  space  (MDS) 
and  the  Programme  Support  Action  for  the  coordination  mechanism  to  federate  the 
national  access  points,  the  Sustainable  Transport  Forum  will  discuss  technical 
specifications  and  policy  requirements  for  the  development  of  an  open  data  ecosystem 
that ensure the free access and reuse of data for electro-mobility and other alternative 
fuels by 2023 and 2025, respectively. To this respect, the Sustainable Transport Forum will 
work on the particular static and dynamic data types needed to create new services, building 

59 ‘electromobility service provider’ means a commercial actor who provides services to an end user, including the sale of a recharging service. 

60 ‘e-roaming’  means the exchange of data and payments between the operator of a recharging point and a  mobility service provider from which an end user purchases a 

recharging service.  

15 

 
 
 
                                                 
 
on  the  outcomes  of  the  PSA  IDACS,  as  a  basic  input  to  work  on  a  possible  delegated  act, 
planned for 2022. 

4 

Ensure broad collaboration to work towards a common aspiration 

Transitioning  the  transport  sector  to  a  sustainable  and  clean  power  supply  cannot  be  easily 
charted and implemented. The rapid rollout of recharging and refuelling infrastructure poses 
significant  challenges:  for  planning  and  permitting  processes,  for  planning  energy  system 
integration, for building up interoperable seamless user services and for developing an open, 
competitive  market  ecosystem.  It  requires  broad-based  cooperation  between  all  public  and 
private-sector market players throughout the whole value chain, bringing together automotive 
and energy sectors to provide digitised user services. It should be a shared goal for both public 
authorities and industry.  

This  is  why  the  Commission  has  closely  involved  the  Sustainable  Transport  Forum  in 
preparing this rollout plan, building on the close collaboration with the Forum over the past 
years.  The  Forum  is  the  Commission’s  main  expert  group  working  on  alternative  fuels 
infrastructure. It brings together representatives from all Member States and from key interest 
organisations and industry players. Members of the Forum were invited to share their views 
and information on key problem areas and actions of this plan in two meetings and in written 
exchanges.  

The Commission will continue this process of broad stakeholder cooperation. It has set up a 
number of new expert sub-groups under the auspices of the Sustainable Transport Forum to 
accompany the process  of fact-finding and decision-taking in  key areas  of data  governance, 
communication  protocols  and  interfaces,  planning,  permitting  and  concession  practice.  The 
findings  will feed into future policy development.  The Commission  will also  closely follow 
the  installation  of  recharging  and  refuelling  points  in  other  relevant  fora  and  processes,  not 
least in the context of the Renovation Wave for buildings61. The Commission will support the 
need  for  additional  research  and  innovation  (R&I)  activities,  in  particular  through  Horizon 
Europe  and  its  partnerships  with  private  side  (institutionalised  and  co-programmed 
partnerships) and with Member States (co-funding). 

What  is  needed  now  is  effective  and  efficient  cross-border  and  cross-sector  cooperation 
between all public and private-sector stakeholders on developing an open, transparent and 
interoperable 
infrastructure  services.  The  Commission 
encourages all Member States to engage all public authorities and market players at all levels 
of governance in the discussion about further policy needs and opportunities.  

infrastructure  with  seamless 

5 

Conclusions 

Building  up  the  recharging  and  refuelling  infrastructure  for  a  sustainable  mobility  system 
provides  a  unique  opportunity  to  stimulate  the  recovery  after  the  impact  of  the  COVID-19 
pandemic. Related investment will create jobs that cannot easily be outsourced and often are 
rooted  in  local  economies.  There  is  great  potential  to  build  a  new  market  economy  on 

61 COM(2020) 662 final. 

16 

 
 
 
 
                                                 
recharging  and  refuelling  services  that  consumers  value  and  that  support  new  business 
models, while generating considerable social and environmental benefits.  

Accelerating the rollout of recharging and refuelling infrastructure is a key policy priority to 
ensure that the market uptake of zero- and low-emission vehicles is not impeded by a lack of 
infrastructure,  as  significant  growth  is  expected  over  the  coming  years.  Importantly,  this 
infrastructure  will  need  to  future-proof,  including  the  relevant  technical  components  to 
support data exchange in real time and the creation of advanced digital services, so as to allow 
new business opportunities to emerge and user experiences to improve.  

This plan identifies a number of supplementary measures to support the accelerated rollout of 
alternative fuels infrastructure in the EU. They are closely linked to policies to tackle issues 
related  to  alternative  fuel  vehicles,  vessels  and  aircraft,  infrastructures,  the  energy 
production, networks, data and user services together. They support the policy initiatives 
under  the  “Fit  for  55”  package,  particularly  the  proposal  to  revise  the  CO2  emission 
performance standards for passenger cars and light-duty commercial vehicles and the proposal 
for  a  new  Regulation  on  the  deployment  of  alternative  fuels  infrastructure,  and  repealing 
Directive  2014/94/EU  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council,  and  moreover  the 
proposals  for    the  RefuelEU  Aviation  and  FuelEU  Maritime  initiatives.  They  also  link  to 
important  industrial  policy  initiatives,  such  as  the  Battery  Alliance,  the  Clean  Hydrogen 
Alliance  and  the  upcoming  Renewable  and  Low-Carbon  Fuels  Value  Chain  Alliance..  The 
Commission  is  also  working  on  a  proposal  to  revise  the  Energy  Performance  of  Buildings 
Directive  and  will  address  aspects  of  rolling  out  alternative  fuels  infrastructure  in  its 
upcoming  review  of  the  Regulation  on  the  TEN-T  guidelines  and  its  new  urban  mobility 
package later in 2021.  

The Commission is ready to support the accelerated rollout of alternative fuels recharging 
and  refuelling  infrastructure,  including  through  investments  in  research  and  innovation.  A 
swift agreement on the proposal for a new Regulation on the deployment of alternative fuels 
infrastructure can be underpinned by extensive support for the market rollout of infrastructure 
under the many funds and financial instruments available at EU level. The Commission calls 
on  Member  States  to  make  support  for  infrastructure  rollout  a  key  priority  in  planning 
measures under the Recovery and Resilience Facility. It underscores the benefits of updating 
related policies and regulations for planning and permitting at national and local levels. It is 
also working together with stakeholders to identify technological challenges, do the requisite 
standardisation work and set up a well-functioning governance of the ecosystem for battery-
electric  and  fuel-cell  electric  vehicles.  Altogether,  this  will  make  the  EU's  transport  sector 
more competitive, ensure no consumers or regions are left behind, and it will drive forward 
the transition to sustainable and smart mobility. 

17