From 2035, the EU countries only want to allow new cars without CO2 emissions. The energy and environment ministers agreed on this European Union (EU) on Wednesday night. At the insistence of Germany, the agreement leaves open the possibility that new cars with combustion engines powered by so-called e-fuels can also be registered after 2035.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens; 54) explained after the long deliberations in Luxembourg that Europe had “set the course for more climate protection in transport”. “The EU member states have voted with an overwhelming majority that from 2035 only cars and light commercial vehicles that emit no CO2 will be registered. We are thus sending a clear signal that we must achieve the climate targets. They give the car industry the planning security that she needs.”
There had previously been a dispute in the Berlin traffic light coalition about the desired end for combustion engines in the EU. The Greens and SPD were in favor of banning new registrations for combustion engines from 2035, while the FDP was against it. The Liberals insisted that technologies such as e-fuels should not be excluded from the EU’s negotiations on fleet limits as part of the climate package.
compromise in the traffic light coalition
As part of a compromise Lemke suggested in Luxembourg that the EU Commission should present a proposal “for the approval of vehicles after 2035 that are exclusively operated with CO2-neutral fuels” and are “outside the range of fleet standards”. This refers to vehicles that are operated with synthetic fuels (e-fuels). These are considered CO2-neutral.
E-fuels are usually produced from water and CO2 using electricity. Whether this is environmentally friendly depends on where the electricity comes from and at what cost the fuels could be made available. In the EU Parliament, which at the beginning of June had agreed on an end for the internal combustion engine from 2035, a greater importance for synthetic fuels had been rejected.
Certificate trading and climate social fund
After the agreement of the EU environment ministers, the EU Parliament and member states still have to negotiate the details. The regulations for new cars are part of a comprehensive climate protection package with which the EU intends to reduce its CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030. The environment ministers have now approved this package called “Fit-for-55”. The aim is to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius if possible and to radically reduce emissions of climate-damaging greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2).
In addition to the de facto phasing out of combustion engines, CO2 certificate trading is to be expanded to other sectors. The target for renewable energies will also be raised from 32 to 40 percent, as well as targets and specifications for the ramp-up of “green” hydrogen. Socially disadvantaged households are also to be relieved via a climate social fund.