The EU Commission aims to ease the planned ban on combustion engines in new cars from 2035. Instead of full emission-free status, a 90 percent reduction in CO₂ emissions is proposed. Critics decry it as an undemocratic process.
The EU leadership is planning to moderate the strict requirements for new cars from 2035. Originally, no CO₂ emissions were to be allowed from that year, effectively ending classic combustion engines. Now, the target is to raise it to a 90 percent reduction in emissions, as EVP group leader Manfred Weber told the »Bild« newspaper. No full quota is planned for 2040 either.
The Commission initially declined to comment on the report, but the proposals are set to be presented on the coming Tuesday alongside measures for batteries and environmentally friendly service vehicles. Following criticism from industry and several countries, the EU had already announced a review.
Greens MEP Michael Bloss sharply criticizes the plans: »What Manfred Weber is fabricating here fits into a series of conservative misdecisions that turn Europe from world leader to laggard.« He warns that persistent combustion engines threaten the industry's competitiveness and planning security.
SPD politician Tiemo Wölken accuses Weber and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of a »backroom deal« that bypasses democratic factions. Instead, support is being sought from right-wing populists, similar to the recent slowdown of the deforestation regulation.
Implementation requires a majority in the European Parliament and approval from 15 member states representing 65 percent of the EU population. While Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands prefer the original rules, populous countries like Germany, Italy, and Poland advocate for relaxations.
