The European Union appears to have abandoned plans for a ban on new combustion engine vehicles, opting instead for more flexible emissions targets that would allow traditional engines to remain on the market.
Manfred Weber, president of the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, told German newspaper Bild that new regulations would require a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions from car manufacturers’ fleet targets for vehicles registered from 2035 onwards, rather than the previously planned 100% reduction.
Weber said: ‘There will also be no 100% target from 2040 onwards. This means that the technology ban on combustion engines is off the table. All engines currently manufactured in Germany can therefore continue to be produced and sold.’
The shift represents a major policy reversal for the EU, which has been at the forefront of the global push toward electric vehicles and away from fossil fuel-powered transportation.
The EU’s current regulations, adopted in 2023 after intense negotiations, set a goal to cut carbon emissions from new cars to zero by 2035. While not explicitly banning combustion engines, the 100% emissions reduction target would have effectively made it impossible to sell new petrol or diesel vehicles in the bloc after that date.
However, the regulations faced mounting opposition from several fronts. Major car-producing nations such as Germany and Italy lobbied for softer rules, citing concerns about the impact on their manufacturing sectors. Germany, home to automotive giants including Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, was particularly vocal about protecting its crucial auto industry.
Several automakers also pressed for more flexible regulations, arguing that the timeline was too aggressive and could lead to massive job losses and industrial disruption across Europe.
Weber framed the policy change as essential for preserving European industrial jobs and competitiveness: ‘We are thus keeping our two most important promises: We remain on the path to climate neutrality. But we ensure technology neutrality. This is an important signal to the entire automotive industry and secures tens of thousands of industrial jobs.’
In response, the European Green Party Co-Chair Ciarán Cuffe responded: ‘If the EU blinks, China wins… The 2035 zero-emissions standard is a cornerstone of EU climate policy, providing certainty for industry and investors while accelerating the shift to clean mobility.
‘The future of mobility is electric. The EU needs a real industrial policy and strategic direction instead than changing strategy every year, so Manfred Weber is acting irresponsibly. Rolling it back like EPP president Manfred Weber wants, would create uncertainty, stifle innovation, and weaken Europe’s position in the global race for clean automotive technologies – China will take the lead.’
Photo by Toby Hall
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