Eight leading manufacturers of industrial vehicle trailers from Germany and Austria have lodged an appeal with the European Court of Justice against EU Regulation 2024/1610 of 14 May 2024. The companies – Fliegl Fahrzeugbau, Kögel Trailer, Krone Commercial Vehicle, Langendorf, Schmitz Cargobull, System Trailers Fahrzeugbau, Wecon and Schwarzmüller – represent more than 80% of annual registrations in Germany and around 70% of the European market. The initiative is also backed by the main trade associations in Germany and Austria.
The group had already filed an initial case before the General Court of the European Union (case T-456/24), which was rejected on the grounds of lack of direct individual interest. They have since proceeded with an appeal to the Court of Justice, which is still pending. The plaintiffs argue that the Regulation creates disproportionate burdens and could undermine the economic sustainability of much of the sector. The companies estimate a cost impact that could push trailer prices up by as much as 40% and threaten more than 70,000 jobs, including those in the supply chain.
The central objection concerns the Vecto-Trailer simulation tool, which they claim does not reflect real operating conditions. According to the manufacturers, the system favours lighter or lower trailers, but such design changes reduce payload capacity, increase empty runs, and risk adding both traffic and overall emissions. “A tool that simulates CO2 savings while in reality putting more trucks on the road contradicts climate goals,” said spokesperson Gero Schulze Isfort.
The manufacturers have therefore put forward three demands: abolish the Vecto-Trailer, introduce a moratorium on penalties until suitable technologies are available, and apply a correction factor that accounts for the use of zero-emission towing vehicles. Their complaints have been endorsed by German associations Vda, Zkf and Bgl, which point to competitiveness risks and the disproportionate nature of certification obligations, particularly for smaller producers.
The Verband der Automobilindustrie (Vda), representing the German automotive supply chain, has described the emission reduction targets as “unrealistic” and hard to achieve. It stressed the lack of alignment between technical innovations already implemented on trailers and the parameters measurable within the Vecto system. The Vda also flagged the situation of special trailers – such as rail-compatible models, double-deck designs, moving floor trailers and multi-compartment refrigerated units – which are not adequately reflected in the regulation and risk unjustified penalties.
The Zentralverband Karosserie- und Fahrzeugtechnik (Zkf), representing 3,200 companies with some 40,000 employees, focused on the complexity and cost of CO2 certification. The obligation applies to all O3 and O4 trailers and semi-trailers with box structures, regardless of company size. For smaller manufacturers, certification costs via the federal Kba authority are particularly onerous. The Zkf has sought to make the process more accessible, for example by proposing certification through technical bodies such as Tüv Rheinland and Tüv Süd.
The Bundesverband Güterkraftverkehr Logistik und Entsorgung (Bgl), which brings together road freight, logistics and waste management operators, has given full backing to the legal action. Its director, Dirk Engelhardt, called it “absurd” to impose reduction targets on vehicles that do not directly emit CO2, such as trailers, warning of higher costs without real impact on overall emissions. According to the Bgl, policies should be technology-neutral and geared towards tangible reductions, not bureaucratic constraints.
In Austria, the Wirtschaftskammer Österreich (Wkö), representing 40,000 transport and logistics companies, voiced concerns over what it sees as an excessively rigid regulatory approach. In its 2025–2029 European strategy paper, the association reaffirmed the importance of technology neutrality and a diverse mix of solutions. It opposes blanket bans on combustion engines, instead supporting a portfolio of options including battery-electric, hydrogen, biofuels and synthetic fuels. It has also called for realistic blending quotas for alternative fuels and greater EU investment in research and development. The Wkö underlined that policies should be pragmatic and aligned with actual market dynamics, noting that the uptake of electric mobility is not advancing as quickly as the European institutions anticipated.
EU Regulation 2024/1610, in force since 1 July 2024, amends Regulation 2019/1242 by introducing CO2 reduction targets for trailers. From 2030, semi-trailers must achieve a 10% improvement and other trailers 7.5%, measured solely through Vecto-Trailer simulations. Non-compliance will trigger fines of €4,250 per vehicle for every gram of CO2 per tonne-kilometre.
