Technological change and the level of competition and retail demand are not expected to allow alternative operators to deploy a parallel civil engineering infrastructure, at least where the legacy civil engineering infrastructure assets can be reused for deploying an NGA network.

They are taking steps to rapidly develop standards for alternative technologies.

The impact of green vehicles with alternative technologies needs to be thoroughly assessed and compared with the impact of conventional vehicles using a life cycle approach. Such an approach considers the impact of the 'well-to-wheel’ emissions[23], including emissions from electricity generation as well as the environmental impacts due to the production and disposal of the vehicle.

If it can be shown that alternative technology (e.g. computer, electronically controlled range switch, etc.) can give equivalent accuracy, then these alternatives may be used.

The greening of surface transport: reduction of environmental and noise pollution, including green house gases; reducing the impact of transport on climate change by reducing emissions through technological and socio-economic means as well as user training; development of clean and efficient engines and power-trains, including hybrid technology and the use of alternative fuels for transport applications such as hydrogen and fuel cells, taking account of cost-efficiency and energy-efficiency considerations; end of life strategies for vehicles and vessels.

Technology assessment, verification and testing: methods and tools for environmental risk and lifecycle assessment of processes, technologies and products, including alternative testing strategies and in particular non-animal methods for industrial chemicals; support for sustainable chemistry, forest-based sector technology, water supply and sanitation platforms ; scientific and technological aspects of a future European environmental technologies verification and testing programme, complementing third party assessment instruments.