EU lawmakers agreed to a deal late Thursday evening (27 October) that will end the sale of internal combustion engine cars from 2035, a momentous agreement that sets Europe on a trajectory to a largely electric automotive future.
The European Parliament, represented by Dutch centrist lawmaker Jan Huitema, and the Council of the EU, represented by the current presidency holder Czech Republic, struck a deal shortly before 9 pm Brussels time.Although originally considered one of the most controversial of the EU’s Green Deal legislative proposals, the CO2 standards file progressed rapidly, becoming the first of the so-called “Fit for 55” files to be agreed upon by member states and the Parliament.
The legislation will require all new cars and vans sold in the EU to be zero-emission by 2035, a move which effectively prohibits the sale of combustion engine technology.
Lawmakers also agreed on an interim target of a 55% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 2021 levels for cars, and a 50% reduction for vans.
The EU’s climate chief Frans Timmermans said the agreement sends a strong signal to industry and consumers.
“Europe is embracing the shift to zero-emission mobility. European car makers are already proving they are ready to step up to the plate, with increasing and increasingly affordable electric cars coming to the market,” he said.
Czech minister of industry and trade Jozef Síkela said the agreement “will pave the way for the modern and competitive automotive industry in the EU”.
In addition to the phase-out of petrol and diesel cars, the agreement also introduces a new methodology for the reporting of life-cycle CO2 emissions of vehicles, which the Commission will present by 2025.
In line with member states’ wishes, the Commission will also publish a biannual report from 2025 on the progress towards zero-emission road mobility. This will cover the impact on automotive industry employees, as well as consumers.
The question of the so-called “Ferrari clause” was additionally settled, with lawmakers deciding that vehicle manufacturers that produce up to 10 thousand cars and 22 thousand vans per year will be granted an exemption from the interim target, though they must reach zero-emissions by the end of 2035.
Jan Huitema, chief negotiator for the European Parliament, praised the agreement, saying it would “create clarity for the car industry and stimulate innovation and investments for car manufacturers”.
“I am pleased that we reached an agreement with the Council on an ambitious revision of the targets for 2030 and supported a 100% emission reduction target in 2035. This is crucial to reach climate neutrality by 2050 and make clean driving more affordable for our citizens,” he said. Euractiv - link - Jonathan Packroff - link - Sean Goulding Carroll - link - more like this (EU legislation) - link - more like this (electric cars) - link
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