Background information

The state aid scheme targets investments for the purchase of zero-emission vehicles for road transport and the modernization of vehicles used in rail, maritime and inland waterway transport to reduce polluting emissions. The main aim is to support transport operators to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by purchasing clean vehicles and modernizing existing fleets.

Content of measure

The scheme contributes to the target of 80,000 heavy electric vehicles in the EU by 2030 and a 90% reduction in transport emissions by 2050 compared to 1990. The total budget allocated to the scheme is €300 million, available through the Modernization Fund for the period 2024-2029. The average annual budget is estimated at €120 million and the maximum amount of funding for a beneficiary cannot exceed €15 million. Ineligible expenditure will be borne entirely by the beneficiary.

Projects falling under one of the two sub-measures are eligible under this scheme as follows: Sub-measure 1: the purchase of heavy goods vehicles, i.e. a van or a truck, with a designed unladen gross laden weight of more than 3.5 tons, powered by an electric battery that can be charged and recharged only by connection to an external source of electricity to qualify as zero emission vehicles, Sub-measure 2: retrofitting of rail, sea and inland waterway vehicles to qualify as clean or zero emission vehicles.

Use of measure

The scheme targets road, rail, maritime and inland waterway transport operators in Romania.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Companies providing essential services	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Employers' organisations	European Funds National funds National Recovery and Resilience Facility

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Only employers' organisations
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

Concordia Employers' Confederation specified that it was consulted by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure regarding the content of the documentation which was launched for public consultation in December 2024.

Earlier in March 2023, National Union of Romanian Road Haulers (Uniunea Nationala a Transportatorilor Rutieri din Romania) published a statement asking the Romania government for subsidizing the purchase of green trucks and development of related infrastructure.

Views and reactions

From the point of view sent by Concordia Employers' Confederation it was supported by its members in the transport sector.

Sectors and occupations

Sources

• 02 March 2023: Press release: UNTRR calls for measures to support the competitiveness of the Romanian road transport industry following the non-accession to Schengen (Informare de presă: UNTRR solicită măsuri pentru susținerea competitivității industriei transporturilor rutiere din România urmare neaderării la Schengen) (www.untrr.ro)
• 09 December 2024: Financing criteria for the transition to zero emission vehicle fleets (Criterii de finanțare pentru tranziția la flote de vehicule cu emisii zero) (www.fonduri-structurale.ro)