IRU and the European Metropolitan Transport Authorities (EMTA) are urging the Irish Presidency and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to fix key provisions in the Industrial Accelerator Act's proposed “Buy European” rules for electric vehicles. They warn that the current approach risks forcing working electric buses off the road and penalising public transport operators and authorities that bought them in good faith.
Proposed by the European Commission in March 2026, the Industrial Accelerator Act aims to strengthen Europe's industrial base by boosting demand for European-made and low-carbon products. Its proposed “Made in EU” and low-carbon requirements for public procurement and public support schemes would directly affect which electric buses public transport authorities and operators can buy and deploy when public funding is involved.  
In a joint message, IRU and EMTA bring together the voices of transport operators and metropolitan transport authorities, calling for three practical changes: protecting electric buses already purchased and registered for their full operational lifetime; harmonising derogations across procurement and support schemes; and protecting operators and authorities from costs linked to manufacturers’ delivery failures outside their control.   (....)