During the Competitiveness Council lunch on Thursday 30 November, ministers tackled the question of the future of the car industry, as well, to a “limited” extent, what role diesel should play in this context.
Questions also included electro-mobility, the expansion of autonomous vehicles and, to a lesser extent, diesel technology. The Commissioner for the Internal Market and Industry, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, explained during a press conference that the subject had been discussed in a “limited” way. On this occasion, she pointed out her position: diesel is a technology of the past and not of the future.
The Commissioner shared her concern with journalists about diesel vehicles currently on the market or which would be put on the market over the next three years. She discussed what would happen to them on the second hand market and the subsequent risk of reselling second-hand cars that are more polluting on markets in eastern and southern Europe. She stated that “this is going to become a problem for the member states”.
The Commissioner said that the car industry had to shift to new technologies in order to maintain its international competitiveness. Ms Bieńkowska said that her position was shared by certain member states that were “looking to the future”, namely, in five to 10 years-time. She added that a number of other countries had more misgivings and wanted to keep things as they were. During the debate on the regulation on type approval and motor-vehicle monitoring, Germany proved to be one of the most reticent member states in this respect (see EUROPE 11797).
Need for battery industry. The question on the expansion of a battery industry was also mentioned. Some countries raised the question of primary materials for developing these batteries, which were located outside of European borders, explained one source. The circular economy should be perceived as a solution, with Sweden speaking on this subject.
The question of social ramifications was also discussed. The United Kingdom mentioned the question of the future driving license, given that it could disappear with the expansion of autonomous vehicles. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)