In the fight for more climate protection, the EU Parliament wants to ban the sale of new cars with combustion engines from 2035. A majority of MEPs voted in Strasbourg on Wednesday that from the middle of the next decade manufacturers will only be allowed to bring cars and vans onto the market that do not emit any greenhouse gases that are harmful to the climate. Before such a regulation can come into force, Parliament still has to negotiate with the EU states.
At the end of the month, the EU countries want to determine their position on the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars. Then the two EU institutions still have to find a compromise so that it can come into force.
Germany has already committed to the exit date of 2035. Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (54) said in Brussels in March on behalf of the federal government that the goal of ending the use of combustion engines in cars and vans by 2035 was supported. At the world climate conference in Glasgow in November, several major car manufacturers, including Mercedes and Ford, called for a sales ban on combustion engines in the leading markets from 2035.
After the vote, the German Green MP Michael Bloss (35) said on Wednesday: “We have decided in favor of the future of Europe as an automotive location.” In the future, the best electric cars and the latest batteries would come from Europe. There was also encouragement from the organization Transport & Environment (T&E). The end of combustion engines means a chance to fight climate change. It is also a “historic opportunity to help become less dependent on oil and safer from despots,” said T&E manager Alex Keynes.
MEPs also advocated that no climate-friendly synthetic fuels can be counted. With these, a classic combustion engine could be operated in a climate-neutral manner. However, critics fear that there are already too few of these for aviation and shipping, which are less easy to operate electrically than cars or vans.
Criticism came from the CDU. “Unfortunately, the Greens, Liberals and Social Democrats prefer to put everything on the electric mobility card,” said CDU MEP Jens Gieseke (51). In his own words, he fears for Europe’s competitiveness and numerous jobs. But he conceded: “The ban on combustion engines in 2035 will probably no longer be preventable.”
Hildegard Müller (54), President of the Association of the German Automotive Industry (VDA), was even clearer. With the decision, the EU Parliament “made a decision against the citizens, against the market, against innovation and against modern technologies”. It is too early to rely solely on electric mobility, especially since there is “insufficient charging infrastructure in large parts of Europe”. “This increases consumer costs and jeopardizes consumer confidence. Politicians cannot demand more speed from industry without creating the framework conditions themselves that enable this speed,” said Müller.
The draft law is part of the EU’s “Fit for 55” climate package, which aims to reduce harmful emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Reform of EU emissions trading failed
Another reform of EU emissions trading, the heart of European climate policy, initially failed in the European Parliament. A majority of MPs rejected a planned extension of the system to buildings and transport on Wednesday. The bill has been referred back to the Environment Committee to find a new compromise acceptable to a majority. Important votes on a CO2 tariff at the EU’s external borders and the climate social fund for low-income households have also been postponed.
The implementation of important parts of the EU climate package “Fit for 55” is thus being delayed. The aim of the package is to reduce climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 and to become climate-neutral by 2050. For the laws to come into force, both Parliament and EU countries must agree.
“I think that’s a disgrace,” said MP Peter Liese (57), who is responsible for negotiating the dossier in the EU Parliament, about the result of the vote. “Today is a black day for the climate efforts of the European Parliament,” commented SPD MP Tiemo Wölken (36). “As a result, we lose important time in the fight against climate change,” said Martin Schirdewan (46) from the left.
Parties blame each other
“The Social Democrats and the Greens have not lived up to their responsibility for climate protection,” CDU politician Liese criticized the parties who voted against his text. “The proposal has tightened the Commission proposal in many places and means more climate protection.” Ultimately, the text was not ambitious enough for the Greens and Social Democrats. “The European Parliament rejects that of the fossil lobby and alliance softened emissions trading,” said Green politician Michael Bloss (35). The Environment Committee had previously voted to reduce the emissions covered by the ETS by 67 percent by 2030. However, a majority in Parliament ultimately voted in favor of an amendment proposed by the conservative EPP for a Reduction of 63 percent “The Christian Democratic EPP tried with the right side of the House to water down the Commission’s proposal wherever possible,” said Wölken from the SPD.
Emissions trading is one of the most important instruments for reducing climate-damaging emissions and in the fight against climate change. For example, parts of industry or electricity producers have to pay for the emission of gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2). Among other things, the plan was to extend the system to commercial buildings and transport and to reduce the emissions covered more quickly. The planned EU border adjustment mechanism – a kind of import tariff on CO2 emissions from goods – and the climate social fund for low-income households are also on hold for the time being, as they are closely related to emissions trading.
How long it could take before Parliament can vote on a new compromise is open. The previous discussions about a compromise were difficult. “This new deal could be made this afternoon, in two weeks, or in July. I don’t know yet,” said Environment Committee chairman Pascal Canfin (47).