The directive sets out infrastructure targets for all 28 member states covering not only electric vehicles, but natural gas and hydrogen fuel cell models too, to be in place by the end of 2025.

It recommends a network of one charging point per ten electric vehicles registered in the country by 2020, at a bare minimum targeting urban and suburban areas, and stipulates that there should be a common plug and standards for usage across the region. The former is likely to be the Combined Charging System and Type 2 AC plug.

Member States must also set out plans for a “sufficient” network of hydrogen and CNG refuelling stations as part of the framework to be presented by the end of 2016, with installation to be completed by 2025.

The European Parliament will also set standards for usage, covering vehicle manuals, dealership material and the points themselves, as well as improving signage for refuelling locations and easier price comparisons with conventional fuels.

Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, commissioner for transport, said: ‘With these new rules, the EU provides long-awaited legal certainty for companies to start investing, and the possibility for economies of scale. EU Member States requested flexibility in deploying the infrastructure. It is now up to them to develop the right national policy frameworks.’