European Union countries have postponed a planned vote next week on banning sales of new carbon dioxide-emitting cars from 2035 as part of the “Fit for 55” package after Germany questioned its support for the regulations, Reuters reports.
A new date for the vote has not been announced, and a spokesman for Sweden, the country that holds the presidency of the EU Council, announced that member state ambassadors would return to the issue “in due course”.
After months of negotiations, the Commission, the European Parliament and EU member states reached an agreement last year on this law, which requires all new cars sold in the EU bloc to have zero carbon dioxide emissions from 2035 – so that from on that date it will be impossible to sell cars with combustion engines. But EU member states still need to approve the decision for it to come into effect.
German Transport Minister Volker Wissing said the use of synthetic fuels should remain possible after the 2035 deadline and asked the European Commission to draw up a proposal in this regard.
On Friday, the ambassadors of the EU member states decided to postpone the vote, which was planned for March 7, informed the spokesperson for Sweden.
Last month, the European Parliament approved the project that puts an end to the sale of new cars equipped with thermal engines starting from 2035.
Germany is home to major automakers, including Volkswagen, which has pledged to produce only electric cars in Europe from 2033, and BMW, which has warned of the effects of a ban on combustion engine cars in the EU from 2035, according to Agerpres.
Also Italy intends to vote against the European plans to ban the sale of new cars powered by gasoline and diesel within 12 years, announced the Minister of Energy, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin.
“At the meeting in Brussels of the ambassadors of the EU member states, Italy will express its position against the regulation proposed by the EU to ban the production and sale of cars and vans with internal combustion engines until 2035,” said the Minister of Energy.
Last week, the Government in Rome announced that it wants to ally itself with France and Germany to influence and slow down the pace of implementation of EU legislation regarding vehicle and truck emissions.