On Wednesday 7 November, the national ambassadors of the 28 EU member states (Coreper) entrusted the presidency of the Council with a mandate for the second institutional negotiating meeting on the proposal for a regulation establishing performance standards for the European fleet of new cars and vans, with a view to reducing CO2 emissions after 2021.
The proposal, presented last November, aims to encourage clean mobility, innovation and climate protection (see EUROPE 12114, 12109).
It was agreed that, during the second trilogue scheduled for 13 November, only technical matters would be dealt with, in order to try to make maximum progress. The most political issues – reduction objectives and incentives for manufacturers for the sale of low or zero emission cars – will be reserved for the third trilogue scheduled for 4 December. The Presidency hopes the third will be the last.
“We are all aware that no one will budge before then. The third and potentially the last trilogue will exert pressure for an agreement to be reached”, one diplomatic source told EUROPE.
The date of 4 December is fixed sufficiently early in the month to allow, where necessary, a further trialogue before end December.
The multiplying factor introduced by the Council for incentives to manufacturers in the less wealthy countries of the EU, where the rate of market penetration by electric cars represents less than 60% of the European average, would allow the problem of the eastern countries to be resolved. The latter fear cheap, polluting, old cars will be imported from the richer countries of the EU. However, some members of Parliament fear this measure will lead to weaker climate ambitions. They want to know more.
It is planned that discussion on this issue will begin, but no more than that, as of the second trilogue. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)