European trailer makers get together to ask VECTO methodology review

The European trailer industry against the VECTO regulation. The CEOs of 30 leading European trailer manufacturers met in Koningshooikt last week and signed a joint declaration and petition in the presence of the two Members of the European Parliament Kris Van Dijck (Belgium) and Jens Gieseke (Germany). They call on the European Commission and the European Parliament to review and adjust Regulation (EU) 2024/1610.

As clearly underlined by Kogel Trailers a few days ago, regulation (EU) 2024/1610 extends CO₂ standards to trailers, even though trailers emit no CO₂ directly. Manufacturers are held responsible for simulated emissions calculated by the VECTO tool, “which relies on standardized reference loads and duty cycles. The signatories argue this methodology does not reflect the operational realities of European road transport: the diversity of trailer applications, real payload and loading requirements, or the rapid rise of zero-emission tractor units”.

European trailer makers ask for VECTO review

According to the companies involved in the petition, to meet the targets, manufacturers could be pushed toward design changes that reduce usable loading capacity. The result would be more trips, more empty runs, and more vehicles on the road to move the same volume of goods. Indeed, around 70,000 jobs across Europe would depend on an economically viable trailer industry.

“Decarbonization must not become deindustrialization. The answer is not to abandon climate ambition. It is to make sure our policies are based on reality, on technology that exists, and on outcomes that can actually be achieved. That is why I support a serious review of the current methodology, not because we want weaker rules, but because we want rules that reduce emissions and strengthen European industry,” said MEP Kris Van Dijck.

“European industry cannot be told to lead the green transition while we make it impossible to compete. The trailer sector is ready to deliver, but the targets have to be technically achievable. We need an evidence-based review now, in 2026 — not in 2027, when the damage may already be done,” added MEP Jens Gieseke.

“Today thirty competitors put their rivalry aside to send Brussels a single message. We are not asking for less climate protection. We are asking for rules that cut emissions instead of penalizing manufacturers for a flawed simulation. The Article 15 review must be brought forward — every month of delay costs investment, jobs, and credibility,” added Gero Schulze Isfort, spokesman for the German coalition of eight leading European trailer manufacturers.

The requests brought forward by the signers

More into details, these are the requests issued by the companies:

• 1. Bring the Article 15 review forward from 2027 to 2026. Publish the reference values immediately after monitoring and lower the fleet targets to achievable levels, for example 5 percent from 2030, phased in.
• 2. Phase in the fleet targets from 1 July 2030 to avoid market distortions and foreseeable job losses.
• 3. Introduce a moratorium on penalties and adjust the penalty level, which is out of all proportion to the market price of the vehicles.
• 4. Overhaul the VECTO tool for trailers so vehicles with comparable purpose are compared fairly and the growing share of zero-emission tractors is taken into account. Targets and levies should fall in line with the market penetration of zero-emission tractors and disappear entirely once these reach a 70 percent market share.
• 5. Recognize that the planned credit-and-debit system is largely ineffective within the current timeframe, because the necessary trailer technologies cannot reach the market at scale fast enough.