Several high-ranking union politicians are calling on EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to adjust the course of the planned revision to the European CO2 fleet regulation. Reports from media outlets such as Der Welt and Politico, referencing a letter, detail these demands.
The letter, signed by Markus Söder, the Minister-President of Bavaria (CSU), Manuel Hagel, CDU Chairman of Baden-Württemberg and Interior Minister, and Sebastian Lechner, CDU Chairman of Lower Saxony, states explicitly: “We therefore expect a clear course correction in the further legislative process: towards genuine technological openness, a flexible and practical design for achieving the targets, and a clear commitment to competitiveness and industrial substance in Europe.”
The three politicians argue that while climate protection is a central goal, it must be designed in conjunction with economic strength, innovation, and employment. They contend that regulations which effectively exclude or politically favor specific technologies risk undermining the very innovative momentum necessary to achieve climate goals.
They are requesting that the CO2 fleet regulation be structured in a “consistently technology-neutral” manner. The determining factor should not be which propulsion technology is used in a vehicle, but whether it genuinely contributes to CO2 reduction. Furthermore, vehicles that run on renewable fuels must be recognized as climate-neutral solutions. They warn that a regulatory approach that effectively overlooks these options would not only send incorrect industrial policy signals but would also sabotage the climate protection objective itself.
