CO2 Emissions in Transport: New Obligations for Companies and Logistics 2026

Key data

If your company moves goods, manages a fleet or contracts transport services, Regulation (EU) 2026/1030 changes the rules of the game. From now on, measuring CO2 emissions from your transport services is no longer optional: it is an obligation with standardized methodology, comparable between operators and with direct implications for public contracts and corporate reporting.

The regulation, published on 12 May 2026 and applicable throughout the European Economic Area, creates a harmonized framework for accounting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in transport services. It is not a recommendation: it is a European regulation of direct application.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation (EU) 2026/1030 establishes a common system for all companies in the transport sector to calculate and report their GHG emissions in the same way. Until now, each operator could use its own methodology, making it impossible to compare the carbon footprint between logistics providers.

The key elements established by the regulation are:

• Standardized methodologies for calculating GHG emissions applicable to all transport services in the EEA.
• Obligation to report calculated emissions, facilitating comparability between operators.
• Right of freight forwarders to require standardized carbon footprint data from their transport providers.
• Integration with public procurement: emissions data will have direct implications in public tenders and contracts.
• Alignment with CSRD reporting: companies subject to the corporate sustainability directive must use these methodologies for their transport emissions reporting.
• Inclusion of SMEs: small and medium-sized enterprises in the transport sector are also subject to the new measurement and reporting obligations.

Economic and operational impact

The impact is not just regulatory: it has direct consequences for the competitiveness and operating costs of affected companies.

For SMEs in the transport sector, the challenge is especially relevant: they must adapt to new obligations without the resources of large operators, which can mean a significant adaptation cost in systems, training and internal processes.

Who does it affect?

The regulation has broad scope. It does not only affect those who move goods or people: it also affects those who contract those services.

• Transport companies for goods and passengers operating in the EEA
• Logistics operators managing supply chains with a transport component
• Fleet operators (owners or managers of transport vehicles)
• Freight forwarding companies that contract transport services from third parties and need carbon footprint data from their suppliers
• SMEs in the transport sector, expressly included in the scope of application
• Companies subject to CSRD that must report emissions from their value chain, including transport
• Public contracting entities that include emissions criteria in their tenders

Practical example

Imagine a medium-sized distribution company that contracts the transport of its products to an external logistics operator. Until now, it could request emissions data from that provider, but each one calculated them with its own method: the numbers were not comparable or auditable.

With Regulation (EU) 2026/1030, the distributor can legally require standardized carbon footprint data from its logistics provider, calculated using the standardized methodology established by the regulation. If the distributor is subject to CSRD, that data is what it must include in its sustainability report.

For its part, the logistics operator that does not have a measurement system compliant with the regulation risks losing that contract and being excluded from public tenders that require verified emissions data. If it is also an SME, it will have to face the adaptation with limited resources, making it urgent to plan implementation as soon as possible.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if your company is within the scope of application: determine if you operate transport services, manage fleet or contract transport to third parties in the EEA. If the answer is yes, the regulation affects you.
2. Audit current emissions measurement systems: review whether you already calculate GHG emissions from your transport services and with what methodology. If you don't or use your own methodology, you will need to adapt to the one standardized by the regulation.
3. Evaluate the impact on your CSRD reporting: if your company is subject to the corporate sustainability directive, coordinate with your sustainability team to integrate this data into the report.
4. Review contracts with transport providers: if you are a freight forwarder, update your contracts to include the requirement for standardized carbon footprint data in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2026/1030.
5. Monitor the entry into force date: the exact date of application has not been specified. Follow the EU Official Journal to know the exact deadlines and plan adaptation in advance.
6. Assess the risk of non-compliance: non-compliance can result in sanctions and loss of contracts with clients with ESG commitments or in public tenders. Quantify the potential impact on your client portfolio.