EU climate chief holds firm on CO2 deadlines for cars

By Kate Abnett

The European Union's climate commissioner on Thursday reaffirmed EU plans to end sales of CO2-emitting cars in 2035 and tighten CO2 limits next year, after pressure from some governments and carmakers to reconsider the policies.

The EU has passed a law to ban sales of new CO2-emitting cars from 2035, effectively outlawing new diesel and petrol engines. Tighter CO2 limits for carmakers' fleets also take effect next year.

Italy and the Czech Republic have said that slumping electric car sales mean carmakers cannot meet these targets, and asked Brussels to urgently review them.

Asked by EU lawmakers about his plans for the auto sector, climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said the climate rules provided a predictable investment environment.

The European Commission will hold talks with industry "to basically articulate how we can shape this bright future, how we can stick to the targets, how we can bring predictability", Hoekstra told a hearing in the European Parliament.

"Many of the car company CEOs I talk to have said that they can deliver on the targets," Hoekstra said, without naming specific companies.

He said industry was, however, demanding bigger public investments in electric car-charging infrastructure.

"And I think that is a fair ask."

The European Commission has already agreed to tweak its 2035 phase-out date to allow cars running on e-fuels to be sold after the deadline, at Germany's request.

Asked by lawmakers if Brussels would also consider a bigger role for biofuels, Hoekstra said: "What I cannot do, because this was a process that took a long way to reach consensus, is to break open what we have agreed on in the domains of cars."

Automakers have warned they cannot meet next year's EU car CO2 limits and are bracing for potentially billions of euros in fines.

Hoekstra said those fears may be overstated, given the relatively low fines carmakers faced for missing 2020 EU emissions targets. Volkswagen faced penalties exceeding 100 million euros.

Hoekstra is seeking approval from the European Parliament for five more years in his job overseeing EU policies on climate change. The Parliament is due to decide whether to approve the new European Commission later this month.