The European Commission is currently working on a draft delegated act to allow sales of new vehicles running on e-fuels, which are supposed to be carbon neutral. This future proposal was made, on 27 February, a sine qua non condition by Germany to support the formal adoption of the agreement on ending sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 (see EUROPE 13134/1).
The draft delegated act currently being prepared would thus propose that the sale of new vehicles with combustion engines and running on e-fuels could continue after 2035. “Discussions are continuing between the Commission and the German authorities”, said a European Commission spokesperson.
The issue is expected to come up again in the discussions of the Heads of State or Government of the Member States, who will meet in the European Council on 23 and 24 March in Brussels (see other news).
“This could happen on the margins of the EU Council, I don’t foresee the leaders speaking on this. For the moment, this is a discussion between the Commission and Berlin. This is where we are, and it has not yet been put on the agenda”, a diplomatic source summarised.
“We do not have a debate planned between the EU27 to question the parameters that have been agreed between us. It is not very good to intervene again in the debate when the EU Council and the European Parliament have reached an agreement. It’s not the end of the world, but we can’t suitably run our shop”, said another diplomatic source.
While Parliament formally adopted the interinstitutional agreement in plenary session on 14 February, several MEPs have been vocal, such as the Chair of Parliament’s Committee on Transport, Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, French), regretting that the European Commission had “given in” to Germany’s about-face. However, far from being downhearted, the MEP has already warned that the publication of the delegated act will provoke “a battle” with Parliament.
“Pressure from Parliament worked, as the negotiations were not reopened. This delegated act will not be negotiated with Parliament, it will be a Commission expert group that will propose its standards before publication in the Official Journal. Parliament will have 2 months to fight the rejection battle. We won’t let it happen, we are ready”, commented Mrs Delli. She added: “We found a majority in Parliament once, we will do it again”.
As a reminder, the S&D, Renew Europe and Greens/EFA Groups in Parliament reiterated on 14 March, the day after a meeting of Transport Ministers from several Member States in Strasbourg (see EUROPE 13140/13), their desire not to see the agreement on the end of sales of new combustion engine vehicles in 2035 called into question (see EUROPE 13141/7). (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin with Émilie Vanderhulst)