It should still be possible to buy cars with a traditional combustion engine after 2035. This is proposed by the European Commission.
The proposal comes after pressure from crisis-stricken car manufacturers in Germany, among others. According to the Vice-President of the European Commission, Stéphane Séjourné, the proposal is a "lifeline" for the European car industry.
- We are pulling all the levers at our disposal. Together, these measures constitute our commitment to restoring Europe's industrial leadership while leading the global climate transition, says Stéphane Séjourné.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised the proposal, while it was criticized by the environmental organization Greenpeace, which called the proposal a "u-turn" at the expense of the environment.
- This backward-looking industrial policy is bad news for jobs, air quality and the climate, and it will slow down the supply of affordable electric cars, the organization's German CEO, Martin Kaiser, told the AFP news agency.
The proposal will allow hybrid cars and cars with traditional combustion engines to continue driving in Europe after 2035.
The EU decided in 2022 that new cars and vans sold in the EU will no longer be allowed to emit climate-damaging carbon dioxide from 2035. It was effectively the same as saying goodbye to new vehicles with traditional combustion engines.
The goal was to reduce emissions from the transport sector. Here too, car manufacturers will now have more flexibility. From 2035 onwards, car manufacturers must comply with a target of a 90 percent reduction in exhaust emissions.
The last ten percent must be compensated through the use of low-carbon steel manufactured in the EU. Or from e-fuels and biofuels. This is a relaxation compared to before. Here the requirement was a 100 percent reduction in exhaust emissions.
Still committed to climate neutrality in 2050
The proposal comes after the automotive industry in Germany, among others, has been exposed to Chinese competition at the same time that many Europeans have begun to switch to electric cars, many of which come from the American Tesla. This has resulted in billions in losses for European car manufacturers and large-scale layoffs.
- Europe's car industry is at a crossroads. We must act now to ensure that it remains an integral part of Europe's industrial future and not just part of its legacy, says EU Commissioner for Economic Affairs Valdis Dombrovskis.
Despite the increased flexibility for car manufacturers to reduce emissions, the EU is still on track to become climate neutral by 2050, says EU Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra.
- We are introducing flexibility for manufacturers, but this must be compensated for with low-carbon steel and the use of sustainable fuels to reduce emissions, says Wopke Hoekstra.
/ritzau/dpa
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