Benelux countries to ensure charging across borders

To promote cross-border electric driving and charging, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (so-called Benelux countries) have established the joint service IDRO (Benelux ID Registration Organisation). IDRO is supposed to help ensure that national borders are not an obstacle to charging.

IDRO is to issue unique ID codes for charging station operators and mobility service providers in the Benelux countries and subsequently manage them. Based on these codes, operators and providers should be able to determine which card was used when for a specific charging process in order to send the corresponding invoice to the right customer.

Charging should also be simplified for customers, who will be able to get meaningful information about location, availability and cost. The goal is to make recharging electric cars as easy as refuelling, to enable electric car drivers “to enjoy hassle-free international mobility”, according to the Benelux General Secretariat.

“Promoting low-emission mobility is essential to achieve our climate goals and protect the health of all inhabitants,” said Alain Maron, Belgium’s minister of climate change, environment, energy, cleanliness and participatory democracy. “That’s why Brussels and the Benelux have set very ambitious targets and want to be a real leader in this regard.”

As François Bausch, deputy prime minister of Luxembourg and minister for mobility and public works, says that it is crucial that all charging cards are accepted across Europe. “Users are not interested in charging station ID codes or charging cards, they simply want to charge their vehicle after identifying themselves at a public charging station,” Bausch said.

“This is an important step to make electric driving easy and attractive, also abroad” says Stientje van Veldhoven, Dutch State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management. “Everyone can use their own app or card to recharge and pay.”

benelux.int