Luxembourg Backs e-SAF Early Movers Coalition at EU Transport Council

Luxembourg's Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, participated in the EU Council of Ministers meeting on Transport, Telecommunications and Energy - in its Transport configuration - in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday 4 December 2025.

According to Luxembourg's Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, several key issues were on the agenda, including the revision of rules on vehicle dimensions and weights, as well as the technical inspections package, aimed at modernising vehicle inspections and registration at the European level.

The proposed amendment to Council Directive 96/53/EC, which sets the maximum authorised dimensions and weights for certain road vehicles, aims to modernise and make some rules more flexible. The changes include allowing longer dimensions for certain vehicles and integrating aerodynamic devices to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The directive also revises the rules on maximum authorised weights, particularly for the gross vehicle weight of articulated vehicles, double trains and vehicle combinations.

Luxembourg endorsed the proposed amendments, as they support and meet its national objectives, particularly regarding the modal shift from road to rail. Minister Backes advocated strengthening this modal shift, which she described as a strategic priority for Luxembourg's transport policy, in line with European objectives.

On the topic of technical inspections, Minister Backes expressed support for the modernisation of vehicle registration certificates, the harmonisation of vehicle inspections at the European level and the exchange of data between Member States. The adopted package notably includes the creation of a database for the transmission of mileage by various stakeholders and the introduction of a European vehicle inspection certificate.

Minister Backes noted: "The introduction of this certificate will allow vehicle inspections to be carried out in a Member State other than the one where the vehicle is registered. This will greatly simplify the lives of our citizens within our Union. This measure will contribute to a more integrated Europe, where free movement is not limited to people, but also extends to essential road safety services."

The package also proposes increasing the European minimum inspection frequency to improve road safety - thresholds that the ministry said Luxembourg already applues under its current national legislation.

The Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU, effective from 1 January 2026, will begin negotiations with the European Parliament on these issues.

The current Danish Presidency also presented the progress made on several strategic dossiers related to infrastructure and mobility. This included updates on the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), which sets the framework for financing transport and energy projects in the future EU budget, including Luxembourg's request for the Namur-Luxembourg-Bettembourg rail link. The Presidency also announced the finalisation of the regulation on the accounting of emissions from transport services, which aims to establish a harmonised method for measuring the climate impact of operations and contributes to the objective of reducing emissions by 90% by 2050.

In addition, the EU's investment plan for sustainable transport, presented in November, aims to mobilise €2.9 billion by 2027 to accelerate the production of alternative fuels and the decarbonisation of aviation and maritime transport. In the rail sector, the European Commission detailed its action plan for the development of high-speed rail and the reduction of technical costs through European harmonisation.

Regarding passenger rights, the Presidency reported that no agreement could yet be reached on the revision of the air passenger rights regulation. The matter will likely be referred to conciliation, the last opportunity to find an agreement.

Moreover, the Commission presented the Military Mobility Package, aimed at creating a "military Schengen Area" by 2027 to facilitate the rapid and secure movement of troops and equipment in Europe. Minister Backes, whose responsibilities include both mobility and defence, welcomed this initiative.

Luxembourg also supported a Belgian initiative aimed at a thorough revision of European regulations on civilian drones. The reported objective is to simplify administrative procedures for responsible users while strengthening tools to combat misuse and dangerous practices.

Luxembourg joined several other Member States in calling on the Commission to establish a harmonised legal framework for personal mobility devices, such as e-scooters, amid concerns that a lack of European regulation is leading to disparate national initiatives, risking legislative fragmentation.

Minister Backes, together with her German, Dutch, French, Austrian, Portuguese, Spanish and Finnish counterparts, and in the presence of Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, later signed a declaration of intent to create the e-SAF Early Movers Coalition. This alliance aims to promote sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) through the sharing of best practices and the implementation of joint auctions.

(Photo credit: European Union)