Germany has formed an alliance with Italy and some Eastern European countries against a planned phase-out of internal combustion engines in cars in the European Union from 2035 as it prepares to come up with a counteroffer.

The transport ministers of Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia met on Monday to discuss proposed changes to the EU’s plans.

The upcoming European legislation “urgently needs to be changed,” said German Transport Minister Volker Wissig.

According to Mr. Wissig, the newly formed alliance is skeptical about phasing out cars with internal combustion engines. The German minister added that after 2035 it will be proposed to create a separate category of vehicles that can run on environmentally neutral synthetic fuels.

“Banning an internal combustion engine when it can operate in a climate-friendly manner seems to us the wrong approach,” he insisted.

Legislation on emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, the EU’s main tool for facilitating Europe’s transition to electric vehicles, was frozen earlier this month when Berlin raised a last-minute objection. The development took many in Brussels and European capitals by surprise as EU member states and the European Parliament had already reached an agreement at the end of 2022.

Source: RES-IPE