ETS-2 and CO₂ Emissions in Road Freight: What Shippers & Carriers Must Know
ETS-2 will put a price on the CO₂ in road-transport fuel, but not on the day most people think. The honest timeline for a carrier: emissions monitoring by fuel suppliers began in 2025, and the system becomes fully operational in 2028, when suppliers must surrender allowances and the carbon cost is expected to feed through to diesel prices. You will not receive an "ETS-2 invoice" — you will see it at the pump. This article explains what that means for shippers and carriers, and what is worth doing now rather than in 2028.
Table of Contents
- What Is ETS-2? A Quick Overview for Road Transport
- Why CO₂ Tracking Matters Before 2028
- What Shippers Need to Do to Stay Competitive
- What Carriers Can Do to Reduce Fuel and CO₂ Costs
- How IMPARGO Supports CO₂-Aware Transport Planning
- Getting Started
What Is ETS-2? A Quick Overview for Road Transport
ETS-2 is the EU's second Emissions Trading System, covering fuels used in road transport and buildings. The charge applies to fuel suppliers, not directly to hauliers, but the cost increase reaches shippers and carriers through higher diesel prices.
The timeline, per the European Commission: monitoring and reporting of emissions began in 2025; ETS-2 becomes fully operational in 2028, when regulated entities surrender allowances by 31 May of the following year. A price-stability mechanism is designed to soften early volatility.
European Commission: ETS-2 overview · Directive (EU) 2023/959 (full text)
Why CO₂ Tracking Matters Before 2028
- Diesel prices are expected to rise once the ETS-2 carbon cost feeds through from 2028, so fuel efficiency protects margin directly.
- Many shippers already request CO₂ data per transport order, well ahead of the price kicking in.
- Companies with ESG reporting obligations need clear, trackable emission data now.
If you rely on spreadsheets and don't track CO₂, you risk missing tenders that require emission transparency and overpaying for inefficient routing.
What Shippers Need to Do to Stay Competitive
Even though you won't pay the fuel surcharge directly, your clients and stakeholders will expect accurate emissions data.
Key actions for shippers
- Track emissions per shipment using the ISO 14083 standard.
- Cover both Well-to-Tank and Tank-to-Wheel emissions.
- Ensure visibility across subcontractors and your in-house fleet.
How IMPARGO calculates CO₂ emissions
What Carriers Can Do to Reduce Fuel and CO₂ Costs
For a carrier, CO₂ is cost: less fuel burned is both a lower diesel bill and a lower carbon footprint, and from 2028 those move together.
- Reduce fuel use with truck-specific routing.
- Avoid detours, toll-heavy routes, and road restrictions that add kilometres.
- Win contracts that require emission transparency.
Start with the truck route planner and the truck cost calculator.
How IMPARGO Supports CO₂-Aware Transport Planning
Whether you plan transport as a shipper or a carrier, IMPARGO gives you:
- Automated CO₂ calculation for each planned route.
- ISO 14083-compliant reporting.
- Route planning that weighs tolls, fuel, and time together.
- Full tour-cost analysis: fuel, wages, tolls, and emissions in one view.
IMPARGO for shippers · IMPARGO for carriers
Getting Started
You don't need to wait for 2028 to benefit. Planning against real fuel and CO₂ per tour lowers cost today and gives you the emission data shippers are already asking for. The paid TMS modules are available on a free trial, so you can test CO₂-aware routing on your own tours first.
People Also Ask
What is ETS-2 in road transport?
ETS-2 is the EU's second emissions trading system. It puts a CO₂ price on road-transport and heating fuels via fuel suppliers; monitoring began in 2025 and the system becomes fully operational in 2028.
Will shippers be affected by ETS-2?
Yes. Even though shippers don't pay the fuel charge directly, they increasingly need to report CO₂ emissions to meet client and regulatory expectations.
How can carriers reduce CO₂ and fuel costs?
By planning efficient, truck-specific routes and estimating full trip cost and CO₂ in advance with digital planning tools.
