European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and representatives from the automotive industry are anticipated to address the results of a review concerning fleet emission targets in mid-December. According to reports in “Bild” an initial decision could be reached before the end of the year.
Sources within the Commission have indicated that von der Leyen communicated to the CEOs of major European automotive companies on Friday that she would provide preliminary indications of the Commission’s likely conclusions in December. An internal strategy paper suggests potentially limited exceptions for plug-in hybrids and engines utilizing climate-neutral fuels.
The automotive industry has previously advocated for more adaptable regulations. Tilman Kuban, spokesperson for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, stated to the newspaper that safeguarding industrial jobs necessitates a re-evaluation of the phased-out combustion engine policy. “This is the clear expectation of the CDU/CSU group from the European Commission” Kuban added, highlighting concerns about stagnant production lines and the potential for deindustrialization.
Current fleet emission targets stipulate an average CO2 emission limit of 93.6 grams per kilometer for all new cars registered across the EU. This figure is intended to be progressively reduced to zero grams per kilometer by 2035, effectively preventing the sale of new combustion engine vehicles.
These fleet emission targets are a component of the “Fit-for-55” package, implemented to steer the EU towards a path that could limit climate change to slightly above two degrees Celsius. The International Court of Justice recently clarified that states exceeding the 1.5-degree threshold could face legal claims for damages.
