Legal pathways to decarbonise the EU’s legacy combustion car fleet

We are delighted to share that Milieu Consulting has successfully completed a study for Transport & Environment, examining legal options to decarbonise the EU’s legacy fleet of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

ICE vehicles currently dominate road transport, accounting for over 70% of transport emissions and remaining a significant source of greenhouse gases and air pollution. However, the current EU legal framework lacks sufficient measures to support the phase-out of these vehicles in line with the EU’s 2050 climate objectives.

The study explored potential EU-level regulatory measures aimed at decarbonising the existing ICE fleet. The analysis focused on:

• Legal feasibility: Assessing the practicality of proposed measures within the EU legal system;
• Compliance with EU treaties: Ensuring alignment with fundamental EU legal principles; and
• Addressing gaps in the current framework: Identifying areas where existing legislation fall short in enabling decarbonisation efforts. (

This research represents a crucial step in advancing the EU’s climate ambitions, providing actionable insights into regulatory pathways that could drive meaningful reductions in transport emissions.