Government proposes a new act to complement the EU Regulation on the Deployment of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure

On 16 May 2024, the Government submitted a legislative proposal to Parliament for a new act on the alternative fuels infrastructure for transport.

The proposal is based on the EU Regulation on the Deployment of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure (AFIR), which requires additional national regulation. The legislative reform is part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package adopted by the European Commission on 14 July 2021.

The purpose of AFIR is to ensure that there is a sufficiently dense and extensive alternative fuels infrastructure for transport, which is interoperable within the EU. It also aims to ensure that users have access to comprehensive information and user-friendly payment options.

New act to include provisions on the supervisory authority and sanctions

The government proposal aims to ensure effective national implementation of AFIR and bring the national legal situation into line with EU legislation.

The proposal is that a new act be enacted on the infrastructure for alternative transport fuels. The new act would provide for a national authority supervising the requirements of AFIR and for possible administrative sanctions.

The supervision and possible sanctions apply to user-friendliness and technology of publicly accessible recharging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, such as one-off charging, payment terminals, automatic identification, digital interfaces, smart recharging, pricing, price indication as well as information provided to users. Compliance with the obligations under AFIR and the new act would be monitored by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.  

AFIR repeals the current Directive on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure, which was nationally implemented by the Act on the Distribution of Alternative Fuels for Transport. Consequently, the proposal seeks to repeal the Act in question.

As an EU regulation, AFIR is directly applicable legislation in all Member States. It became applicable as of 13 April 2024.

Next steps

A referral debate will be held on the proposal now submitted by the Government to Parliament. The timetable for the debate will be listed on Parliament’s website (upcoming plenary sessions). 

After the referral debate, the proposal will be taken to a Parliamentary Committee. Once the Committee’s report is ready, the matter will be discussed in a plenary session.

Inquiries:

Laura Rantanen, Senior Specialist, laura.rantanen(at)gov.fi, tel. +358 295 342 175