On Monday 8 September, the heads of more than 150 companies in Europe’s electric vehicle value chain published an open letter urging the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to “stand firm, not step back” on the EU's 2035 zero-emission target for cars and vans (see EUROPE 13646/4).
They warned that “any setback would jeopardise investment, cost jobs and cede leadership to global competitors”. They call on political decision-makers to take bolder action to ensure Europe’s leadership in electric mobility. They identified four urgent priorities: - much stronger industrial strategy to scale battery production, secure raw materials; - introduction of incentives for citizens; - accelerated investment in grids; - effective implementation of existing EU legislation to drive transition across the single market.
On the same day, the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) signed an open letter addressed to the Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra, also calling on the Commission to remain firm on phasing out internal combustion engine vehicles. They argue that “phasing out polluting cars will lead to cleaner air, fewer hospital admissions, healthier children and longer, more active lives for all Europeans”.
Read the industry newsletter: https://aeur.eu/f/ibs
Read the EPHA letter: https://aeur.eu/f/ibt (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)