Member states urge EU not to water down CO2 rules

Several European Union member states are reportedly worried that the 27-nation bloc could water down its carbon emissions rules and allow gas-guzzling automobiles to stay on the road for longer than planned.

The countries — understood to include Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden — have written to the EU's executive arm, urging it not to weaken the CO2 standards.

Easing the rules would likely mean the continent will fail to meet its climate objectives, while also undermining its economic competitiveness and energy security, according to a document seen by the Euronews website.

"The electrification trajectory of the European light vehicle fleet can reduce our exposure to future geopolitical crisis and fossil fuel price shocks," Euronews quoted the document as saying.

"It is also a direct and sustainable response to increase affordability by shielding road users from rising fuel prices."

The call for a renewed focus on the bloc's CO2 reduction targets comes after EU leaders gathered in December and decided to consider easing a planned 2035 ban on the sale of new vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.

Following lobbying from several member states and automakers, the EU said it may instead call for a target of cutting automobile-related CO2 emissions by 90 percent by 2035.

In a letter to the European Commission, the countries opposing such a change said they want the ban to remain in place and called for greater adoption of electric vehicles, supported by expanded charging infrastructure and incentives to make EVs more affordable to buy and run.

Pursuing alternatives

On the other side of the debate, Germany and Italy — both home to strong automobile industries — have called on the EU to preserve their car sectors while pursuing alternative ways to reduce emissions.

Manfred Weber, a member of the European Parliament from the European People's Party, has led the fight to dilute the emissions rules.

"We didn't support the 2035 regulation (on banning combustion engines) in the last mandate. We promised during the election campaign two years ago that we would get rid of the ban on the combustion engine, and now we are delivering," he told reporters.

The European Commission was proposing the revised regulation last year in line with commitments made by the European People's Party, he added.

The debate comes as Reuters reported that the EU is planning to focus on fewer and clearer targets at the United Nations' COP31 climate summit in Turkiye in November.

The bloc is also understood to be building alliances ahead of the meeting to strengthen support for its agenda.