Parliament wants to exempt delivery vans from city centers' emission-free zones

A parliamentary majority wants the government to exempt entrepreneurs from municipalities’ emission-free zones in city centers for another four years. A VVD proposal stating that combustion-engine delivery vans should be allowed in these zones until 2029 received support from the PVV, BBB, SGP, FvD, DENK, and JA21, NOS reports.

Fourteen Dutch cities will introduce emission-free zones on 1 January 2025. The ultimate goal is to only allow zero-emission vehicles in the city centers. Cities argue that these zones have been ten years in the making, and entrepreneurs have had ample time to prepare. They can also apply for exemptions.

But entrepreneurs still complain that electric vans are too expensive, especially for those who only use them on a limited number of days per year, such as market traders.

Parliament now wants the government to give entrepreneurs a blanket exemption from the emission-free zones until 2029. The proposal gives the government until November 1 to present a plan to achieve this.

The coalition’s main-lines agreement stated that the parties would look into postponing the emission-free zones. But earlier this month, responsible State Secretary Chris Jansen of Infrastructure (PVV) had to acknowledge that the municipalities were within their rights to implement these zones on January 1. It is too late for the national government to interfere, he said.

A debate on the topic last week created confusion. The VVD, BBB, and PVV pressed Jansen to hold to the coalition agreement. The State Secretary then seemed to open the door again for postponing the zones. “Municipalities have the right to implement them on January 1, but we have the possibility to adjust them,” he said.

The left-wing opposition parties are against a postponement or exemption for entrepreneurs, agreeing with the cities that they have had sufficient time to prepare.

Industry organizations like Bovag, RAI, and Transport en Logistiek Nederland also don’t want the Cabinet to interfere. Earlier this week, they called on politicians “to support municipalities in the implementation and to no longer sow doubts surrounding the introduction” of emission-free city centers.