CountEmissionsEU: Measuring emissions from transport services [EU Legislation in Progress]

Written by Monika Kiss (5th edition, updated on 08.04.2026).

In July 2023, the European Commission tabled a package of three proposals for the greening of freight transport. Among them is a proposal for a single methodology for calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport services, referred to as CountEmissionsEU. The initiative covers both freight and passenger transport. It seeks to ensure that GHG emissions data provided regarding transport services are reliable and accurate, to allow fair comparison between transport services. It establishes a methodological framework but does not govern where it has to be used. Nonetheless, if an organisation decides to calculate and disclose information on GHG emissions from transport services it needs to use the methodology provided. To avoid extra red tape for small and medium-sized enterprises, the proposal exempts these companies from mandatory verification of adherence to the rules.

In the European Parliament, the file has been dealt with through the joint committee procedure, involving the Committees on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) and on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). The committees adopted their joint report on 4 March 2024. Parliament voted on its first-reading position during its April I plenary session. Parliament’s TRAN and ENVI committees voted to enter into trilogue negotiations with the Council on 4 December 2024. On 5 November 2025, Parliament and the Council reached a preliminary agreement. After the TRAN and ENVI committees endorsed the provisional agreement on 4 December, the Council formally adopted its first-reading position on 26 February 2026. The vote in plenary, following the recommendation of the joint committee, is scheduled for the April 2026 session.

Complete version

• April 2026: ‘CountEmissionsEU: Measuring emissions from transport services‘ (5th edition)