NORTH SWEDEN EUROPEAN OFFICE
NSEO
North Sweden European Office är Norrbottens, Västerbottens, Jämtland Härjedalens och Västernorrlands EU-kontor i Bryssel med uppdrag att vara Norra Sveriges länk till EU.
ID: 43634658185-75
Lobbying Activity
Response to Revision of the CO2 emission standards for cars and vans
8 Oct 2021
European Forum of Northern Sweden (EFNS) is a network for politicians at the local and
regional levels from Norrbotten, Västerbotten, Jämtland Härjedalen and Västernorrland.
EFNS is a meeting place and knowledge arena where EU policies are analysed and
discussed in respects where it affects northern Sweden. EFNS monitors European issues to
influence EU legislation, EU strategies and action programmes, and the EU budget. The
purpose of EFNS is to safeguard the interests of northern Sweden both in the European
arena and in relation to national level issues with a clear European perspective.
EFNS supports EU’s new and strengthened climate objectives and welcomes the Fit for
55 package of proposals. EFNS shares the European Commission’s assessment that a
comprehensive electrification of the transport sector is of great importance for
achieving set climate objectives.
However, EFNS has reservations about the proposed zero emissions requirement for
passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The European Commission’s proposal
means that no new cars using biofuels such as HVO or biogas may be sold after 2035.
This also excludes hybrid cars. Nor will it be possible to sell new cars powered by
electric fuels.
- The climate challenge is too vast to exclude bioenergy as a source of energy for
passenger cars — the proposal is not technology neutral
Electric and hydrogen cars as such do not guarantee freedom from fossil fuels. Instead
of requiring zero emissions at the tailpipe, the whole life cycle of the car and fuel
solution must be assessed when assessing climate performance, in such a way that
energy-intensive production stages - such as battery cell production - are included in
the valuation process and green electricity production is promoted. Total electrification
requires both new production of green electricity and a significant expansion of the
electricity grid, which takes a long time to establish. Electric cars also need large
amounts of metals and minerals. Mining is often associated with local resistance to
mining and is hampered by long permit processes. Imports from countries with poor
working conditions and lacking human rights are not a reasonable option. A rapid
transformation of the transport sector requires all types of green energy, not just
electrification. There is room for increased Swedish production and the use of biofuels
based on residues from the forest industry. Biofuels and electrofuels should continue to
be part of the solution towards achieving a fossil free transport system. The policy
system should set requirements for climate performance - not point out a specific
technology.
- Swedish reduction obligation is based on increased blending of biofuels
The Swedish national fuel policy, through the reduction obligation, is still largely based
on an increasing incorporation of various types of biofuels in petrol and diesel.
Achieving national targets requires further investments in the production of biofuels.
The industry needs long-term and secure conditions in order for these investments to
be able to take place.
- Long distances and cold climate pose particular challenges for electrification —
all solutions are needed!
Northern Sweden is sparsely populated (less than 12 inhabitants/km²) and the long
distances pose particular challenges regarding the expansion of charging
infrastructure, and thus the electrification of the car fleet. It is important that Northern
Sweden, with its long distances and cold climate, has a well-functioning charging
infrastructure plus access to various biofuel solutions because all solutions are needed
if we are to meet our climate goals. Strict electrification requirements are not the
solution, not for passenger cars, nor for other vehicles. Instead, we should match the
right fuel solution to the particular transport need.
......................
Adopted by the European Forum of Northern Sweden Forum on 5 October 2021.
Read full responseResponse to 8th Report on economic, social and territorial cohesion
8 Mar 2021
The Steering Committtee for the Network of the Northern Sparsely Populated Areas, NSPA*, would want to deliver the following:
Enhancing regional resilience of the northern and sparsely populated regions
The EU cohesion policy and state-aid regulation have been of immense importance for the northernmost Arctic European regions and the possibilities to make challenges to possibilities. There are still large obstacles and as OECD in their study of the NSPA advocate; the NSPA regions are in the forefront in many areas, not least in the work in line with the EU Green Deal, but are also vulnerable regions, due to the lack of critical mass and accessibility, Arctic and sub-arctic climate, few people on vast areas and long distances within the region and to the larger markets. To this come an economy that is still very much based on raw materials and need to increase the refinement levels and step up in the value-chains, combined with a growing tourism sector, being heavily hit by Covid-19.
What OECD also found, was that the general support measures and to this the aggregated statistics on European level, used to follow the regional development and distribution of support, does not capture specific regional settings as the regions of NSPA. For example, the definition of urban and rural regions and functional labor markets, do not take in-to account regions with few peoples living in villages over vast areas and the commuting structures in municipalities that are of the size of whole central European countries. That in turn risk to mis-lead the understanding of the situation and development in those areas.
Given this, we would want to highlight the need to for the making of the 8th cohesion report:
- In the data and analyses, not only have general divisions of rural, semi-urban/rural and urban regions, but to also use the definitions and knowledge captured by research as OECD and ESPON and furthermore to be coherent with the EU Territorial Agenda, to have data and analysis that capture regions with some very different specificities, as the northernmost Europe, and the development and potentials in those regions.
- Overall make specific studies and analysis of development trends in regions with specificities, to give better tools for future adapted support scheme that can deliver sustainable social, economic and environmental development in all of Europe’s regions in dialogue between the regional, national and EU level.
- To this, also look in to the short- and long-term effect of Covid-19 in those smaller, even if being over vast areas, and vulnerable economic regional settings, to capture the specific needs and potentials that are there, compared to other areas where the general data may be more applicable.
- Beyond functional labor markets to identify functional regions patterns in regions as the NSPA, by correlating the short- and long-term effects of Covid-19 on the regional economies, to value chains beyond the regions and based on that, to capture the specific needs and potentials for joint action whenever possible, as a way of redressing negative effects.
- Overall connecting to the on-going process for a rural vision in the EU and assure that as there are many different urban settings, from small villages to large cities, there are many different rural settings to take in-to account and divide between, from agricultural rural, to close to cities rural to sparsely populated rural, as all development activities must build on an understanding of a place-based approach and not “one size fits all”.
*/ The Northern Sparsely Populated Areas network, NSPA, represents the interests of the four northernmost regions of Sweden (Norrbotten, Västerbotten, Jämtland Härjedalen and Västernorrland), the seven eastern and northernmost of Finland (Central Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, Lapland, North Karelia, Northern Ostrobothnia, Pohjois-Savo and South Savo), as well as the two northernmost regions of Norway (Nordland, Troms & Finnmark).
Read full responseMeeting with Marlene Rosemarie Madsen (Cabinet of Commissioner Elisa Ferreira)
22 Sept 2020 · EU budget and Cohesion policy post-2020
Meeting with Florentine Hopmeier (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen) and East and North Finland EU Office and Mid Sweden European Office
14 Nov 2017 · Preparation of the Finnish Council Presidency - the 2030 Sustainability Agenda