In a written answer to a parliamentary question from Nikolaos Anadiotis (NI), Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas highlighted Greece's 22% reduction in road fatalities in 2025 and pointed to EU funding instruments as the main tools for renewing the country's ageing vehicle and two-wheeler fleet. The answer, dated 31 July 2026, responds to concerns that Greece has the oldest fleet in the EU, with an average passenger car age of 17.8 years, and that two-wheeler users are among the most vulnerable road users. Tzitzikostas framed the issue within the EU's road safety and sustainable mobility objectives, stressing that the green transition should not widen disparities between Member States.
The Commissioner cited a Commission staff working document published on 13 February 2026 that assesses Greece's road safety progress, noting that the 2025 fatality reduction was driven by systematic enforcement of helmet wearing and drink-and-drive rules, as well as the adoption of a new Road Traffic Code. He also referenced a thematic report from the European Road Safety Observatory covering powered two-wheelers up to 2024. On financial support, Tzitzikostas pointed to the Social Climate Fund, which mobilises EUR 86.7 billion across the EU between 2026 and 2032, including EUR 4.8 billion for Greece, to support vulnerable households and small businesses affected by rising energy and transport costs. He noted that zero- and low-emission vehicles can be eligible for funding, but it is up to Greece to identify which groups need support and propose actions.
The answer also referenced a Commission Recommendation adopted in May 2025 to help Member States tackle transport poverty, and argued that the regulatory framework for transport decarbonisation – including CO2 emission performance standards, the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation, RefuelEU Maritime, and RefuelEU Aviation – is designed to promote convergence rather than exacerbate inequalities. Tzitzikostas added that existing disparities would be further reduced through EU funding instruments such as the Connecting Europe Facility, which mainly allocates funds to the Trans-European Transport Network, improving connections to less accessible regions and modernising infrastructure.
The response is largely declarative, offering no new legislative or financial proposals specifically targeting fleet renewal in Greece. Instead, it directs the questioner to existing frameworks and funding programmes, leaving implementation to national authorities. The answer signals that the Commission sees its role as providing tools and incentives, while Member States retain responsibility for prioritising vulnerable groups and designing concrete measures. Institutional follow-up is likely to focus on how Greece uses the Social Climate Fund and other EU funds, and on monitoring progress under the EU road safety framework, with the next mid-term review expected in the coming years. Stakeholders most affected include Greek households and small businesses reliant on older vehicles, who may benefit from subsidies but face administrative hurdles in accessing them; Greek authorities, who must design and implement targeted measures; and the broader EU transport sector, which faces uneven transition costs across Member States.