The EV charging infrastructure we build today lays the foundation for tomorrow. To that end, Europe needs regulation that supports and accelerates the shift toward more sustainable transport. That’s exactly what the European Union (EU) is aiming to do with the proposed **Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR)**. This new legislation revises existing rules to set minimum targets for EV charging infrastructure and to create a unified framework across the 27 EU countries. Let’s take a closer look at this proposal. What exactly does it entail? How do we feel about it, and what changes would make it even better? --- **What is the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR)?** The AFIR sets pan-EU rules and targets for developing publicly available refueling and recharging points beyond just electrification. For this article, we’ll focus on how it affects the development of EV charging infrastructure. Key principles include making EV charging **fair**, **open**, and **accessible**. Proposed in July 2021, the AFIR is currently in its final negotiation phase. Once adopted, it will apply across the EU starting in late 2023 or early 2024. At EVBox, we strongly support the AFIR’s vision and approach—from price transparency to data sharing that benefits both customers and innovation. We applaud the goal of creating a harmonized ecosystem that enables EU-wide investments and the rollout of EV charging infrastructure, establishing a level playing field. That said, we also have some suggestions for improvement to ensure the EV charging rollout keeps up with Europe’s ambitious climate goals for 2030 and beyond. --- **How Can We Improve the AFIR to Avoid Missing Opportunities?** Some negotiators have proposed adding a requirement that every publicly accessible charging station in Europe must be equipped with a **payment card reader**. The idea is that people are used to paying for gasoline with their cards, and the EU doesn’t want to make the transition to electric mobility harder. While this might seem like a good idea on paper, the reality is more complex. As explained below, this requirement could slow down innovation and EV adoption, potentially harming the convenience the AFIR aims to achieve. --- **The Headache of 'One-off' Payments** Today, many EV drivers face challenges when using public charging stations. They may need to download multiple apps, create new accounts, or purchase subscriptions that aren't relevant in their home country. We agree this issue should be addressed, and we fully support the EU standing on the side of customers by making payments easier. However, we disagree that installing a payment card reader on every charging station is the right solution. One reason is that **95% of European EV drivers don’t pay for charging with credit or debit cards**. Instead, they use payment plans, subscriptions, or mobile apps—similar to how they pay for streaming services, rideshares, or other digital services. Another reason is that there's a better solution: **EV roaming**. --- **EV Roaming and the Single Market Approach** Since 2017, Europeans can roam freely within the EU without extra costs on their mobile phones. Applying a similar principle to EV charging could revolutionize the way drivers charge across the continent. The EU wants citizens to study, live, work, and retire anywhere in the EU, enjoying products and services from all over the region. Extending this approach to EV charging would be a game-changer. The concept of EV roaming already exists in theory, but the EU still needs to develop a **common minimum roaming requirement**. Today, there isn’t a true single market for EV charging, as our CEO Remco Samuels recently noted. EV roaming would allow drivers to charge at any public station, regardless of their network, without needing to sign up with a new provider. And the best part? Most charging stations are already compatible with roaming. --- **Tailoring Solutions to Different Challenges** Adding a direct payment terminal to **new DC fast charging stations** shouldn’t be a major issue. These stations are large enough to accommodate such a feature, and the cost increase would be minimal. However, payment terminals make little sense for **slow AC chargers**. They are small and difficult to retrofit, and the cost would significantly increase the price per session without offering real value to the customer. --- **Retrofitting Existing Infrastructure** The proposed change in the AFIR makes no distinction between new and existing stations. If every publicly accessible station must have a payment card reader, this includes **all existing ones**. This could lead to perfectly functional AC stations being taken offline, which would **reduce** rather than **expand** the number of EV charging points across the EU. With limited technicians and a tight timeline, this could slow down the rollout of electric mobility infrastructure and make it harder to meet the "Fit for 55" targets. We should ask ourselves: Is it really worth updating old equipment with outdated technology, at the expense of expanding and evolving our charging network? Especially when better solutions exist? --- **Conclusion** The AFIR is a hopeful first step toward a well-functioning EU-wide EV charging market. It has the potential to make the EV charging experience as seamless as filling up a traditional fuel tank—allowing drivers to use more stations, choose the best option for their needs, and travel freely across the EU. For years, EV drivers have faced fragmented and poorly connected charging systems across the 27 countries. The AFIR has the potential to kickstart regulatory harmonization across the EU. But we urge negotiators to be bold and build an accessible electric mobility network based on forward-looking technologies like EV roaming. Let’s not get stuck in yesterday’s ways. We’re at a crossroads. The choices we make today will shape the speed of EV adoption, the appeal of electric vehicles for businesses, and the overall electrification of Europe. We hope the EU will align with current trends and industry best practices to set Europe up for success. --- **About the Author** Zuzana Púčiková is the Director of Public Policy Europe at EVBox since February 2023. In this role—as well as Chair of the Management Committee of ChargeUp Europe and a European Climate Pact Ambassador—she promotes electromobility as a key driver of a sustainable future and advocates for policies that accelerate its adoption. A Slovak national, Zuzana is a multilingual public affairs professional with over 15 years of experience in European institutions, the private sector, and media. She holds degrees in Economics and has an M.A. in European and International Affairs.

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