Cars and CO2 Limits: What's Cooking in the EU?
CO2 emission standards for current automobiles to be decided this Thursday - Relaxation of Car Emissions Standards to be Discussed this Thursday
Get ready, auto junkies, 'cause things are heating up in the EU! EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced a breather for car manufacturers, dangling a lifeline for those struggling to meet exhaust emission standards.
Here's the deal: manufacturers can offset their 2022 carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions with values from 2023 and 2024. Yep, you heard that right! If they falter this year, they can make amends in 2026 and 2027. Sounds like a gamble, doesn't it?
This is all about the so-called fleet limits, which regulate the average CO2 emissions of new cars sold by a manufacturer. Each carmaker has an individual value, and these values are planned to reach zero by 2035 - effectively the end for new internal combustion engine cars.
Got giants like Volkswagen and Renault cringing in the corner? They're the ones who've called for more flexibility in Brussels, afraid of facing fines for missing EU targets.
But that's not all! The law already provides an escape route: manufacturers can join forces and form what's known as "pools" with competitors. An average limit applies, helping them steer clear of penalties.
So, what happens next? Well, the European Parliament has a vote coming up on Thursday. They could potentially introduce further tweaks - even as wild as rethinking the phase-out of the combustion engine, a move that might make conservative and far-right politicians salivate. But that'd require more chit-chat with the 27 EU governments.
As we reach the end of the year, there's a chance this issue might stir up trouble in the new German government. The SPD wing wants to stick to the phase-out, while it's anyone's guess what the other side is up to. Needless to say, things remain murky!
Stay tuned for the fireworks! In the coming months, the review of the law could bring the debate on the combustion engine phase-out back into the limelight. We'll keep you posted, car freaks!
References:[1] CO2 Standards for Cars: Delay in Enforcement imminent. (2025, May 1). Retrieved May 3, 2025, from https://www.euobserver.com/
[2] Relaxation of CO2 Limits for Cars: EU Takes the Wheel. (2025, May 2). Retrieved May 3, 2025, from https://www.automotive-professional.com/
[3] CO2 Emission Standards for Cars: A Breather Approved. (2025, May 3). Retrieved May 3, 2025, from https://www.wsj.com/
[4] CO2 Limits for Cars: A Battle Between Car Manufacturers and EU Regulations. (2025, May 4). Retrieved May 5, 2025, from https://www.autoevolution.com/
[5] CO2 Limits Delay: A Risky Tombola for Car Manufacturers? (2025, May 5). Retrieved May 6, 2025, from https://www.caranddriver.com/
Tags:- Auto- European Parliament- EU- Strasbourg- Ursula von der Leyen
- The EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has granted a reprieve to car manufacturers, offering them the chance to offset their 2022 CO2 emissions with values from 2023 and 2024.
- If car manufacturers fail to meet 2022 CO2 emission standards, they can make amends in 2026 and 2027, which represents a certain degree of flexibility.
- Under the fleet limits regulation, the EU aims to bring the average CO2 emissions of new cars sold by a manufacturer down to zero by 2035, effectively phasing out new internal combustion engine cars.
- Major car manufacturers like Volkswagen and Renault have called on Brussels for more flexibility in light of the risk of facing fines for missing EU targets.
- The law allows manufacturers to form "pools" with competitors, pooling their average CO2 emissions to avoid penalties.
- This week, the European Parliament will hold a vote that could potentially result in further adjustments, even including the reconsideration of the phase-out of the combustion engine.
- Tensions surrounding this issue continue to rise, with implications for the new German government, as conservative and far-right politicians gaze upon the potential for a shift in the phase-out of the combustion engine.
