The European Commission presented a new package of measures to ensure the build-up of alternative fuel stations across Europe with common standards for their design and use. In particular, the Clean Power for Transport Package consists of a Communication on a European alternative fuels strategy, a Directive focusing on infrastructure and standards and an accompanying document describing an action plan for the development of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in shipping.

According to the Commission, clean fuel is being held back by three main barriers: the high cost of vehicles, a low level of consumer acceptance, and the lack of recharging and refuelling stations. For this reason, this European institution launched a new strategy to ensure the build-up of alternative fuel stations across Europe with common standards for their design and use. The Commission highlighted that policy initiatives so far have mostly addressed the actual fuels and vehicles, without considering fuels distribution.

Among the proposed measures in the package, with regard to the electricity, the new strategy proposes to set up a minimum number of recharging points, using a common plug will be required for each member state. Also under this proposal, existing filling stations will be linked up to form a network with common standards ensuring the mobility of Hydrogen vehicles. This applies to the 14 Member States which currently have a Hydrogen network. On biofuels, the Commission stressed that a key challenge will be to ensure their sustainability. In October 2012, the Commission proposed to limit global land conversion for biofuel production.

On the other hand, the Commission ensures that member states will be able to implement these changes without necessarily involving public spending by changing local regulations to encourage private sector investment and behaviour. EU support is already available from TEN-T funds, cohesion and structural funds.