The EPP Group has welcomed the planned announcement by the European Commission that it is to water down its ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035.
Commenting on the decision, which is set to be announced by the Commission on Tuesday, EPP Group chairman Manfred Weber described it as “good news for the automotive industry and millions of employees”, echoing the sentiment of some European leaders, including German chancellor Friedrich Merz.
“The ban on internal combustion engines is history,” Weber commented. “We are delivering on our election promise: technological neutrality: combining climate protection with economic success.”
‘Create uncertainty’
Responding, the European Green Party said that it ‘strongly regrets’ reports that the EPP is aiming to weaken the phase-out of petrol and diesel cars, with co-chair Ciarán Cuffe saying that such a move would “create uncertainty, stifle innovation, and weaken Europe’s position in the global race for clean automotive technologies”, ceding leadership in the EV space to China.
“The 2035 zero-emissions standard is a cornerstone of EU climate policy, providing certainty for industry and investors while accelerating the shift to clean mobility,” he said. “The future of mobility is electric. The EU needs a real industrial policy and strategic direction instead of changing strategy every year, so Manfred Weber is acting irresponsibly.”
‘A grave mistake’
Fellow European Green Party co-chair Vula Tsetsi said that weakening or delaying the 2035 phase-out would be a “grave mistake that pushes Europe backwards”, undermining the EU Green Deal, creating uncertainty for industry, and slowing the green transition.
Several car manufacturers, including Volkswagen, Renault, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have called for the planned ban to be dropped, noting that consumers are not adopting EVs at the levels anticipated when the 2035 deadline was approved three years ago. On Friday, Markus Haupt, the CEO of SEAT, part of Volkswagen, told Reuters that a postponement of the ban could help with its transition process to electric vehicles. Read more here and here.
