By Agreement made between Germany and the Commission on e-fuels.
Yesterday, despite a blocking minority who had threatened not to adopt the new rules, the Council of the EU adopted a regulation setting stricter CO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans from 2035. The new rules aim to reduce emissions from road transport that has the highest share of emissions from transport – and provide the right push for the automotive industry to shift towards zero-emission mobility while ensuring continued innovation in the industry.
Brussels, 29 March 2023 – 1 MINUTE READ
On the eve of the final decision to confirm the ambitious CO2 reduction targets for cars and vans, a blocking minority was formed made up of car-friendly countries, including Germany, Italy, Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, to try to stop the new legislation.
While understanding the reasons that prompted those countries to oppose the decision to ban the registration of new cars that emit CO2, given the industrial crisis it could generate, it was not understood why this happened at the last minute after two years of discussions and the favourable vote of the European Parliament on 14 February 2023. Although the majority was limited to 53%.
The blocking minority broke up after Germany reached a deal to still allow internal combustion engines that use e-fuel beyond the 2035 date.
E-fuel is obtained from hydrogen and CO2. Since CO2 is removed from the environment for its production, the EU agreed to the derogation requested by Germany. Which then slipped out of the blockade minority and yesterday voted in favour of the new EU Regulation. Now the Commission must prepare an ad hoc legislative text to allow for this derogation.
The new targets confirmed by the Council are:
