This proposed regulation is part of the EU’s simplification agenda. It includes vehicle and environmental technical amendments designed to support the automotive industry, but which also affect workers and consumers. For example, electric commercial vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of up to 4.5 tonnes are to be exempted from the requirement to have a control device to monitor driving and rest periods, as well as a speed limiter. Furthermore, EU type-approval legislation is to introduce the new subcategory ‘small European electric vehicle'.

AK EUROPA, in collaboration with the vida trade union and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), hosted an event entitled ‘Improving Railway Safety’ at the Permanent Representation of Austria to the EU on 4 March 2026. The aim of the roundtable discussion was to provide an insight into working practices in the European railway sector and to discuss current challenges and possible improvements in the field of railway safety with representatives of the Commission, the Council and the EU Parliament.

On 5 November 2025, EU Commission Vice-President Raffaele Fitto and Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas unveiled plans to expand the high-speed rail network and encourage investment in sustainable fuels for air and maritime transport. The high-speed rail action plan was eagerly awaited, as decisive improvements for travellers and the climate are hoped for.

Since the beginning of the year, high-level dialogue forums at various levels have been discussing the future of the European automotive industry. As a result of intensive exchanges with the industry, the EU Commission announced, among other things, that it would review the controversial combustion engine ban from 2035 as early as this year – which is one year ahead of schedule. The CO2 emission targets for 2025 had already been relaxed. The industry is calling ever more vehemently for greater flexibility and is supported in this by politicians.

The Commission's proposal aims to improve the quality of roadworthiness testing of motor vehicles in the EU in order to increase road safety and reduce the environmental impact of vehicles. Member States will also be required to record test and inspection data digitally and ensure better cross-border data exchange between authorities.

Since the amendment of the Eurovignette Directive in 2022, CO2 criteria must also be taken into account for the first time when setting truck toll rates. For low-emission commercial vehicles, a general toll exemption may be provided for until 31 December 2025. The Commission’s current proposal now provides for the possibility of extending this exemption until 1 July 2031. This is intended to help commercial vehicle manufacturers switch to zero-emission drives.

Europe’s water resources are under pressure: as droughts, heat waves and floods become more frequent, water scarcity and quality degradation threaten to become a structural risk to health, the environment and the economy. On 4 June 2025, the EU Commission presented a new Water Resilience Strategy that focuses on one of the most pressing issues of our time: protecting and sustainably using of our water resources.

Water is the basis of all life - but also in the EU it is increasingly at risk of becoming a scarce commodity. Periods of drought, falling groundwater levels and conflicts over water resources underline the urgency of a sustainable water policy. AK is committed to a resilient water supply and calls for political measures: public investment in water infrastructure, fair distribution of resources and consistent protection of water as a public good. On 26 March 2025, AK EUROPA and EPSU hosted an event in Brussels to discuss these pressing issues.

A well-functioning rail passenger transport system is important not only from a transport and climate policy point of view, but also from an economic and social perspective. The implementation of four railway packages was an attempt to increase the modal split in favour of rail. After more than 30 years, sufficient data are now available to conduct a serious scientific study to determine the success criteria on which a modal shift to rail is based.

Updating travel legislation has been an issue in Brussels for years. The Commission finally presented its proposals in November 2023, also prompted by the experience of the COVID-19 crisis. One aim is to strengthen passengers' rights. In AK’s view, the Commission's proposals are a step in the right direction in some areas, but overall they fall short of what is needed.