New climate package of EU Commission

 "How should Europe become climate-neutral? The EU Commission is looking at air traffic and is aiming for an import tax - and an end date for the sale of new vehicles with internal combustion engines." 

The EU Commission wants to introduce a kerosene tax for flights within Europe. The existing exemption for the aviation industry from the fuel tax is to be phased out over ten years, as the Brussels authority announced. Private business flights and freight traffic should therefore continue to be exempt from taxation. 

In addition, Brussels is aiming to introduce an import tax on climate-damaging products from third countries from 2026. A transition phase is initially planned from 2023 so that companies can adapt to the innovation, the commission said. Subsequently, importers of steel, aluminum, cement and fertilizers will have to buy CO2 certificates based on the climate-damaging nature of their imports. The aim is to protect companies in the EU from competition from abroad whose production is not subject to the same climate regulations as in the European Union - the focus is on countries like Russia and China. A few hours before the Brussels plans were announced, the People's Republic announced that it intends to start an emissions trading system (ETS) this month. Trading in CO2 certificates is an important instrument for climate protection. 

In addition, as from the F.A.Z. previously reported on a ban on the sale of new vehicles with internal combustion engines from 2035 on-wards. By then, the entire new vehicle fleet in the EU should no longer emit any greenhouse gases. According to the current state of the art, this can only be achieved by pure electric cars. The Commission is also raising the intermediate goal on the way to greenhouse gas neutrality of the new vehicle fleet: According to current EU guidelines, a group's vehicle fleet may only emit an average of 95 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometer; by 2025, a further 15 should be reduced by 2025 percent and by 2030 by 37.5 percent. According to the new proposal of the EU Commission, the value for cars should now drop by 55 percent by 2030 and for delivery vans by 50 percent. 

At the same time, according to the commission, the expansion of the charging infrastructure will be pushed ahead. By the end of last year, there were around 260,000 publicly accessible charging points in the 27 member states of the European Union - more than two thirds of them in the three countries of the Netherlands, France and Germany alone. The aim now is to have charging points at least 60 kilometers apart along the most important roads.

President of Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce  Peter Adrian, on the other hand, warned: “With the Green Deal, the European Union is setting ambitious climate protection targets for companies. The economy can only achieve these goals if companies remain competitive - in the EU internal market and in exports. ”The legislative package presented today offers many opportunities. “But it also shows how demanding the foreseeable transformation towards climate neutrality is,” he said. This applies particularly to the German economy, with its large industrial share.

The reformed emissions trading will significantly increase the pressure for low-emission production processes and energy-efficient products. Climate-friendly production processes are not yet available in some industries or are far from being profitable. “The politically intended high CO2 prices are therefore only sustainable if at the same time compensation is made for the particularly affected companies. Otherwise, energy- and emission-intensive companies run the risk of their products no longer being competitive. This applies to the manufacturers of basic and raw materials such as steel, aluminum and cement, but also to many companies that process them.""  

Today's pandemic situation in Lithuania

  "But not even today it became clear that a pandemic vicious circle is turning around: a leap of contagion, quarantine, a little freedom, a new variety, and we're back where we started. That's how the world lives now. We have 53% of adults vaccinated with at least one dose and are already behind the European average (64%).  

And the delta has already crossed the Lithuanian border, and only a naive can think that we have some special genome resistant to this strain of the virus. If we have already forgotten India, let’s take a look at the UK or Russia and understand what this monster will bring us. The answer is simple: another quarantine, because neither we nor the world have been able to find another way so far."

Šiandieninė pandeminė padėtis Lietuvoje

 "Bet net ne šiandien tapo akivaizdu, kad užsisuka pandeminis užburtas ratas: užkrato šuolis, karantinas, truputis laisvės, nauja atmaina, ir grįžtame, kur pradėję. Taip dabar gyvena pasaulis. Ambicingas prezidento tikslas iki Mindauginių paskiepyti 70% gyventojų davė toną, bet nevirto kūnu – bent viena doze paskiepytų suaugusiųjų turime 53% ir jau atsiliekame nuo Europos vidurkio (64%).

O delta jau peržengė Lietuvos sieną, ir tik naivuolis gali manyti, kad turime kažkokį ypatinga genomą, atsparų šiai viruso atmainai. Jei jau užmiršome Indiją, mestelkime akį į Jungtinę Karalystę ar Rusiją ir suprasime, ką mums atneš šis monstras. Atsakymas paprastas – dar vieną karantiną, nes kito kelio iki šiol nesugebėjome rasti nei mes, nei pasaulis."

After the study quality audit: in Lithuania, the programs are “baked” and not prepared qualitatively

 "The situation is poor with students' employment according to their specialty. According to the State Audit Office, less qualified jobs are done after graduation due to lack of skills. Students themselves are not surprised by poorly organized internships." , and do not apply any serious practical skills, ”said Vytautas Kučinskas, President of the Student Union. 

It is also bad that there are no equal requirements for entrants. "For some, it is enough to pass one state exam, if you enter non-state-funded places, those who enter the funded places need to pass three exams," K. Česaitienė explained. 

The student union also criticizes the study funding model itself, which is based on a study basket. This means that the more students a college accepts, the more money it will receive. "Undoubtedly, those study programs are more" baked "than high-quality. Therefore, this is also a problematic place, "said V. Kučinskas. 

 Studies in Lithuania are unattractive even for foreigners. Lithuania lags twice behind the European Union average in terms of attracting foreign students. 

Lithuanians also travel abroad for at least a few semesters. “The aim is for students to study at least part of their studies in foreign countries. The goal of 20 percent. such students would. Now less than 4 percent, " - said the Chief State Auditor of the State Audit Office."

All of this is the result of liberal reforms carried out under conservative and liberal rule. The Peasant government wanted to repeal those reforms, but failed. Lithuanian universities and colleges remain trading posts for selling low-quality diplomas. This is a serious blow to our economic growth prospects. 

Po studijų kokybės audito: Lietuvoje programos „kepamos“, o ne rengiamos kokybiškai

"Situacija prasta su studentų įsidarbinimu pagal specialybę. Anot Valstybės kontrolės, baigus studijas dirbami mažiau kvalifikuoti darbai, nes trūksta įgūdžių. Patys studentai tuo nesistebi, nes esą prastai organizuojamos darbinės praktikos. „Įvairios būna problemos. Labai dažnai studentas tėra tas, kuris atneša kavą, o ne pritaiko kokius nors rimtus praktinius įgūdžius“, – teigė Studentų sąjungos prezidentas Vytautas Kučinskas. 

Blogai ir tai, kad nėra vienodų reikalavimų stojantiesiems. „Vieniems užtenka išlaikyti vieną valstybinį egzaminą, jeigu stoji į valstybės nefinansuojamas vietas, stojantiems į finansuojamas vietas reikia tris egzaminus išlaikyti“, – aiškino K. Česaitienė. 

Studentų sąjunga kritikuoja ir patį studijų finansavimo modelį, kuris paremtas studijų krepšeliu. Tai reiškia, kad kuo daugiau studentų aukštoji mokykla priims, tuo daugiau pinigų gaus. „Neabejotinai tos studijų programos  yra labiau „kepamos“, o ne rengiamos kokybiškai. Todėl tai irgi yra probleminė vieta“, – sakė V. Kučinskas. 

Studijos Lietuvoje nepatrauklios net užsieniečiams. Lietuva du kartus atsilieka nuo Europos Sąjungos vidurkio pagal užsienio studentų pritraukimą. 

Lietuviai taip pat mažai bent keliems semestrams važiuoja svetur. „Siekiama, kad bent dalį studijų studijuotų studentai užsienio šalyse. Tikslas, kad 20 proc. tokių studentų būtų. Dabar nesiekia 4 proc. šitas rodiklis“, – teigė Valstybės kontrolės vyriausioji valstybinė auditorė."

Visa tai yra liberalių reformų, pravestų konservatorių ir liberalų valdymo laikais, rezultatai. Valstiečiai norėjo tas reformas panaikinti, bet nesugebėjo. Lietuvos universitetai ir kolegijos lieka žemos kokybės diplomų pardavimo kioskeliais. Tai rimtas smūgis mūsų ekonomikos augimo perspektyvoms.

„Volkswagen“ žvelgia ne tik į automobilių nuosavybės teisę - Vokietijos automobilių gamintojas pateikia naują strategiją, atnaujintą dėmesį skirdamas mobilumo paslaugoms

 „Bandymai numatyti, kokia bus automobilių pramonė 2030 m., tik parodo, kokia neaiški yra jos ateitis. Antradienį „Volkswagen“ atnaujino savo ilgalaikę strategiją su antrašte „naujas automobilis“. Vyriausiasis vykdantysis direktorius Herbertas Diessas ir jo komanda išdėstė, kaip, jų manymu, pasikeitė transporto verslas šį dešimtmetį ir kaip įmonė pasinaudos savo, kaip rinkos lyderio Europoje ir Kinijoje, mastu, naudodamasi savo pranašumais. „Volkswagen“ tikisi, kad elektra varomos transporto priemonės palaipsniui pakeis tradicines - kol kas tai nėra prieštaringai vertinama. Tačiau rinkos lyderis Europoje ir Kinijoje taip pat ruošiasi sparčiai augti „programinės įrangos įplaukomis“. Jo pristatymas reiškė, kad šis verslas gali būti beveik toks pat didelis, kaip parduoti elektra varomas transporto priemones iki 2030 m. Lygiagrečiai su išmaniaisiais telefonais: „Apple“ didžiąją dalį savo augimo gauna iš paslaugų pardavimo per „iPhone“, o ne už pačius įrenginius. Kai automobiliai tampa prisijungę prie interneto ir gali būti per jį atnaujinami, transporto priemonėse teikiamų paslaugų greičiausiai padaugės. Jei automobiliai kada nors taps autonomiški, išlaisvindami vairuotojus keleiviais ir netgi pakenkdami dabartiniam dominuojančiam automobilių nuosavybės modeliui, paslaugų paklausa gali išaugti. 

„Volkswagen“ nėra vienintelis, kuris ruošiasi parduoti paslaugas. Gegužės mėnesį vykusi „Ford Motor“ strategijos diena suteikė daug galimybių, kurias gali suteikti „visada palaikomi“ santykiai su savo klientais. „General Motors“ pažadėjo investuotojų renginiui vėliau šiais metais, kad galėtų daryti tą patį. 

Vis dėlto naujausias „Volkswagen“ pasirinkimas investuotojams skatina mąstymą toliau, nei dauguma, ypač tikėdamasis bendrų, be vairuotojų transporto priemonių. Atrodo, kad įmonė mąsto apie realius pinigus. Praėjusį mėnesį ji pareiškė svarstanti galimybę įsigyti Europos automobilių nuomos bendrovės „Europcar“, kurios rinkos vertė, įskaitant skolą, maždaug 5,9 mlrd. dolerių, akcijų paketą. Rizika yra ta, kad „Volkswagen“ švaisto kapitalą toms sritims, kurias laiko „strateginėmis“, remiantis būtinai neaiškia ateities vizija. Jau anksčiau kalbos apie mobilumą buvo raudona vėliava automobilių investuotojams. Tai buvo liūdnai pagarsėjęs Jacquesas Nasseris, kuris nesėkmingai vadovavo „Ford“ 1999–2001 m. 

Kiti automobilių gamintojai pastaruoju metu atsisakė automobilių parko. „GM“ praėjusiais metais nutraukė savo automobilių dalijimosi prekės ženklą „Maven“, o „Ford“ tiria savo motorolerių verslo „Spin“ pardavimą, sakoma gegužę paskelbtoje „Bloomberg“ ataskaitoje. 

Pandemija paskatino automobilių nuosavybės augimą ir paskatino gerus tradicinio automobilių pardavimo verslo modelio finansinius rezultatus. „Volkswagen“ penktadienį pranešė, kad pirmojo pusmečio veiklos pelnas greičiausiai bus apie 11 milijardų eurų, t. y. maždaug 13 milijardų dolerių, daugiau, nei per visus 2020 metus. 

 Viena iš priežasčių, kodėl automobilių pramonė turi tokį prastą kapitalo paskirstymo įrašą, yra būtinybė priimti sprendimus daugelį metų anksčiau laiko. Automobilių gamintojai istoriškai iš dalies susitvarkė purškdami pinigus į visas puses ir matydami, kas prilimpa. „Volkswagen“ antradienį ne kartą pabrėžė, kad didžiulis jo mastas suteiks pranašumų, artėjant pramonės perėjimui, tačiau tai taip pat gali būti viena iš priežasčių, kodėl jis turi judėti anksčiau, nei bendraamžiai. Investuotojai tik gali tikėtis, kad jis eina teisinga linkme “[1].

1. Volkswagen Looks Beyond Car Ownership --- German auto maker pitches a new strategy with a renewed focus on mobility services
Wilmot, Stephen. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]14 July 2021: B.14.

Volkswagen Looks Beyond Car Ownership --- German auto maker pitches a new strategy with a renewed focus on mobility services

"Attempts to predict what the automotive industry will look like in 2030 only serve to highlight how uncertain its future really is.

On Tuesday, Volkswagen updated its long-term strategy under the tagline "new auto." Chief Executive Officer Herbert Diess and his team laid out how they saw the vehicle business changing this decade and how the company would use its scale as the market leader in Europe and China to take advantage.

Volkswagen expects electric vehicles to gradually replace traditional ones -- so far so uncontroversial. But the market leader in Europe and China also is preparing for explosive growth in "software-enabled revenues." Its presentation implied that this business might be almost as big as that of selling EVs by 2030.

The parallel is with smartphones: Apple gets much of its growth from selling services through its iPhones rather than the devices themselves. As cars become connected to the internet and updatable, in-vehicle services seem likely to proliferate. If cars ever become autonomous, freeing drivers to be passengers and even undermining the current dominant model of car ownership, demand for services could skyrocket.

Volkswagen isn't the only one preparing to sell services. Ford Motor's strategy day in May made much of the opportunities an "always-on" relationship with its customers might bring. General Motors promised an investor event later this year to explore the area.

Still, Volkswagen's latest pitch to investors takes the thinking further than most, particularly in its anticipation of shared, driverless vehicles.

The company appears to be putting real money behind its thinking. It said last month that it is considering buying a stake in Europcar, a European car-rental company with a market value including debt of roughly $5.9 billion.

The risk is that Volkswagen wastes capital on areas it deems "strategic" based on a necessarily fuzzy vision of the future. Talk of mobility has been a red flag for auto investors before. It was infamously a focus for Jacques Nasser, who unsuccessfully ran Ford from 1999 to 2001.

Other car makers have moved away from fleet businesses lately. GM cut its car-sharing brand Maven last year, while Ford is exploring the sale of its scooter business Spin, according to a Bloomberg report in May.

The pandemic has prompted a surge in car ownership, driving strong financial results from the traditional business model of selling cars. Volkswagen said Friday that operating profit for the first half would likely be about 11 billion euros, equivalent to about $13 billion, more than in all of 2020.

One of the reasons the auto industry has such a poor record of capital allocation is the need to make decisions years ahead of time. Car makers have historically coped partly by spraying money in all directions and seeing what sticks.

Volkswagen repeatedly stressed Tuesday that its vast scale would provide an advantage in the coming industry transition, but it may also be one of the reasons it has to move earlier than peers. Investors can only hope it is heading in the right direction." [1]

1. Volkswagen Looks Beyond Car Ownership --- German auto maker pitches a new strategy with a renewed focus on mobility services
Wilmot, Stephen. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]14 July 2021: B.14.