According to foreign media reports, on March 5, the European Commission said it will adhere to its 2035 carbon emission target, that is, all new cars and vans sold in the EU will achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions and will keep its medium-term carbon emission target unchanged in 2030.
On March 3, the European Commission announced that it would give automakers three years (2025 to 2027) to gradually reach new carbon dioxide emission targets, replacing the originally scheduled strict deadline for only one year in 2025. This adjustment is intended to alleviate compliance pressures for European automakers while promoting electrification transformation. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU’s carbon emission target itself has not been lowered, but the automotive industry will have “breathing room” for a smooth transition.
On March 5, EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tsitsikostas introduced the European Commission’s action plan to ensure EU automakers electrify fleets and compete with U.S. and Chinese automakers.
Apostolos Tsitsikostas said the EU will conduct a review of carbon emission regulations originally scheduled to be carried out in 2026 ahead of schedule until the third and fourth quarters of this year, but the EU’s carbon emission targets themselves will not change. Apostolos Tsitsikostas said that the EU will keep its carbon emission targets for 2035 unchanged, which means that the EU will adhere to its carbon emission targets for 2025, 2030 and 2035.
However, EU automakers say they still have difficulty meeting the EU’s 2025 carbon emissions target even if the EU expands its compliance assessment from a single year (2025) to a three-year (2025-2027).
Sports groups such as consumer association BEUC and transportation research group T&E have opposed the EU’s easing deadlines for car emissions, saying it will reduce pressure on automakers to produce more affordable cars and further lag Europe behind China.
T&E said the EU auto plan is a major concession to the EU auto industry and should be the last. T&E also noted that EU lawmakers should stand firm and overcome pressure to change their 2030 and 2035 automotive carbon dioxide standards.
At the same time, E-Mobility Europe, which represents electric vehicle manufacturers, auto parts suppliers and charging station companies, also expressed regret that the EU has relaxed the deadline for car emissions meet standards.
In addition, the European Commission plans to accelerate the transformation of corporate fleets to electric vehicles by eliminating tax incentives for corporate fuel fleets. The European Commission will introduce legislation by the end of this year to decarbonize corporate fleets and take steps to support market demand for electric vehicles. E-Mobility Europe agrees with this and supports the EU to expand battery production scale and give priority to the construction of charging networks and charging infrastructure for heavy vehicles.