Revision of the ban on selling CO2-emitting cars beyond 2035
1.10.2024
Question for oral answer O-000011/2024
to the Commission
Rule 142
Christine Anderson, Anja Arndt, Marc Jongen, Sarah Knafo, Milan Uhrík, Ivan David, Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik, Marcin Sypniewski, Stanisław Tyszka, René Aust
on behalf of the ESN Group
During the last term, Parliament helped to pass legislation to phase out sales of new CO2-emitting cars by 2035. During the campaign for the 2024 elections, many of the parties now represented in Parliament called to revise the law and revive the internal combustion engine. The President of the Commission herself has raised expectations regarding a possible review of the current discrimination against CO2-emitting cars. In her candidate speech to Parliament on 18 July 2024, she called for the European Green Deal to be implemented in a pragmatic, technology-neutral manner.
Furthermore, the President of the Commission wants to enhance the EU’s competitiveness. The EU’s carmakers are especially competitive in building internal combustion engines. The Commission’s political guidelines for 2024-2029 stress: ‘For instance, the 2035 climate neutrality target for cars creates predictability for investors and manufacturers. Getting there will require a technology-neutral approach, in which e-fuels have a role to play through a targeted amendment of the regulation as part of the foreseen review’.
All of this has created expectations among the public that internal combustion engines will continue to be used beyond 2035. At the same time, there is some confusion regarding what the Commission really wants. It would be particularly useful to ascertain whether any calls for the relaxation of the ‘ban on internal combustion engines’ were mere campaign promises.
To shed more light on this issue, could the Commission answer the following questions:
- 1.When will the Commission initiate a review of the regulation, and when will it be able to present it to Parliament?
- 2.What does technology neutrality mean with regard to internal combustion engines vis-à-vis electric vehicles?
- 3.Will the Commission limit itself to implementing e-fuels, or will there be a wider window that allows for the production, sale and use of internal combustion engines beyond 2035?
Submitted: 1.10.2024
Lapses: 2.1.2025