Starting January 1, 2025, 14 cities across the Netherlands, including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and Eindhoven, will begin enforcing zero-emission zones for freight transport. These areas will ban diesel and other high-emission vans and trucks from city centers to tackle urban air pollution and reduce carbon emissions. The move is part of the Netherlands’ 2019 National Climate Agreement, which aims to expand zero-emission zones to 30–40 cities by 2025. A phased plan allows older diesel vehicles like Euro 5 vans until 2027 and Euro 6 until 2028, with a complete transition to only electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2030.
To ensure compliance, the zones will use license plate recognition cameras, and fines will be mailed to violators. The government is offering financial help to businesses, including subsidies of up to €5,000 per vehicle, to encourage the switch to greener transport options such as electric vans and cargo bikes. Despite some national pressure to delay, local governments have chosen to move forward, noting that many businesses have already invested in clean vehicles and deserve a fair, consistent policy. This strategy blends Dutch-style incentives with strict rules to steer urban freight towards sustainability. More